NCRP 136

[Robert A Scott <bobscottchp@JUNO.COM>]

	I too was disappointed with the conclusions of the committee in this

report.  



	The Executive Summary states that the committee "was charged to reassess

the weight of scientific evidence for and against the linear-nonthreshold

dose-response model, without reference to associated policy implications.

 The evaluation was prompted by the need to reassess the common use, for

radiation protection purposes, of the linear-nonthreshold dose-response

hypothesis......."



	To this reader's mind, there was a growing body of new evidence which

directed one to see a need to reassess the hypothesis.  



	However, on page six of the report it states "In conclusion, the weight

of evidence, both experimental and theoretical, suggests that for many of

the biological lesions which are precursors to cancer (such as mutations

and chromosome aberrations) the possibility of a linear-nonthreshold

dose-response relationship at low radiation doses cannot be excluded."



	That says to me that this committee ignored the growing body of new

evidence, and looked at the TOTAL WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE as it stands at the

moment.  Of course, the TOTAL weight of the evidence is going to be

fairly evenly distributed for and against the LNT hypothesis.  The fact

that the LNT cannot be excluded says to me that the bulk of the NEW

evidence weighs HEAVILY against the LNT hypothesis.  I suspect that the

committee, despite the fact that it was to reassess the evidence without

reference to associated policy implications, did in fact take into

consideration associated policy implications.  Too bad.  We'll have to

wait another 10 years before the NCRP "reassesses" the matter.  



Bob Scott, RSO

Roger Williams Medical Center

Providence, Rhode Island

bobscottchp@juno.com

************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.