Re: Uranium Workers Used in Experiments

[Neon John <johngd@bellsouth.net>]

Bob Flood wrote:
> 
> At 07:17 PM 2/8/00 -0600, you wrote:
> >
> >> The auto industry recalls did help its image, today most of the consumers do
> >> not care about those safety recalls at all.
> >
> >Yup, and the autos really did kill and harm people.  No question about it.
>  Not
> >so with low doses.
> 
> I agree.
> 
> The tobacco industry is dealing with compensation issues as a result of
> actual harm caused to smokers. The auto industry recalled vehicles to
> correct problems that clearly endangered customers. But a settlement over
> low dose irradiations because it seems politically expedient at the moment
> will be perceived as being in the same category as the tobacco and auto
> industry problems, i.e., that harm has been done and danger really exists.

We need to separate tobacco and automotive manufacturing defects
that affect safety.  On the tobacco side, each individual harmed
made the explicit decision to harm himself and took deliberate,
considered action to effect the harm.  Making Tobacco Inc pay for
this is, imho, the nanny state run amok.  OTOH, automotive recalls
almost always involve a manufacturing or design defect that even the
most astute driver could not a priori know about.  Having the mfrs
recall the product at their expense is appropriate, though
admittedly, some instances have been abusive.

> How do you think the AMA will deal with this? If this low dose compensation
> idea survives, it seems inevitable that significant numbers of people will
> begin to refuse xrays and other medical procedures because "deadly
> radiation" is involved, and that's a phenomenon that could easily snowball
> into a nationwide epidemic. 

I look at it differently.  If this comes to pass, it will be natural
selection at its finest.

Yeah, that's radical but I'm just a bit weary of coddling the
stupid.


John
-- 
John De Armond
johngdSPAMNOT@bellsouth.net
http://neonjohn.4mg.com
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html