[ RadSafe ] I-131 Patients and Taxi Driver

[John Jacobus]

The prohibition of reducing exposures to the public existed decades our new age of all is terrorism.  Also, I do not think that our security specialist have considered that in the event of a terrorist bombing it would involve a recently released therapy patient would complicate the situation.
   
  I would suggest that you do tell them of this scenario.  Otherwise they will pass laws to restrict the release of all patients with radionuclides until exposure rates are at background levels.

"Peterson, Ken" <KPeterson at MarinetteMarine.com> wrote:
  
Are you sure that the prohibition on public transport exists not to
prevent a dose to fellow passengers, but to avoid the additional
complications should a suicide bomber blow up the bus or bus station and
the patient? Would 200mCi be significant in the grander scheme? There
have been a few bus bombings recently in Tel Aviv, I believe....


Ken Peterson

___________________________________________________________________

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:34:37 +0200
From: "Moshe Levita" 
Subject: [ RadSafe ] I-131 Patients and Taxi driver
To: 
Message-ID: <006301c86ed3$aba57000$782e640a at tasmc.corp>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1255"

John,

Suppose the driver exposure will be 20 - 40 mr ( 100-200 mci patient ,
1hr at 1 meter). 
Do we have to inform him about his radioactive patient ?

Moshe Levita
Chief Physicist
Tel Aviv Medical Center

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I would first ask what would be the taxi driver's exposure be?
Decisions should be based on exposures, not on whether or not the
patient is radioactive.

Sandy Perle wrote: It would be ethical to notify
anyone of an impending exposure. The patient would more likely not
receive a ride home. This is another example for the need of public
education.


-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail: crispy_bird at yahoo.com

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+++++++++++++++++++
"If history teaches any lesson it is that no nation has an inherent right to greatness.  Greatness has to be earned and continually re-earned."
- Norman Augustine, Chairman of the National Academies Committee 

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com
       
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