Koop and radon

["Field, R. William" <bill-field@UIOWA.EDU>]

Dr. Cohen,


I am not sure that the Surgeon General not speaking out was that he did

not think radon was a hazard, but rather there was a good bit of

confusion years earlier when there was an announcement concerning

asbestos, because at the time there was no known way to remediate the

problem.  This caused confusion on the part of citizens.  

Therefore, as Edelstein's and Makofske's book "Radon's Deadly

Daughters" points out, the Public Health Service did not support the

EPA until after the seven state study was complete, QC for testing was in

place, and mitigation techniques were in place.  Because these steps

were delayed, Koop was not directly involved.  


But on September 12, 1988 a joint PHS-EPA press conference was held and

Assistant Surgeon General Vernon Houk represented the PHS.  Houk was

head of the CDC at the time.  Houk and Lee Thomas announced the

national advisory which read in part, "Indoor radon gas is a

national health problem.  Radon causes thousands of deaths each

year.  Millions of homes have elevated radon levels.  Most

homes should be tested for radon. When elevated levels are confirmed, the

problem should be corrected."


But, I do agree with you.  In the book I noted above, they quote a

Steve Page (EPA) interview in which Steve is quoted, "We left the

informational approach when the Surgeon General came in.  That was

when we came out of the closet.  It caused a tremendous surge after

that.  We had a million measures after that.  We'd only had

500,000 before that."


The book also goes into many fascinating details concerning how the 4

pCi/L action limit was arrived at as well as numerous references to

you.


The CDC activities on radon include: Co-authoring the nationally

disseminated residential radon-information and testing-guidance manual,

"A Citizen’s Guide to Radon".  Sponsoring efforts to work

toward the Public Health Service’s goal that calls for at least 40% of

homes in the U.S. to be tested for the presence of radon. Examined

several national strategies for a nationwide residential radon-testing

and mitigation program for preventing lung cancer deaths in populations

at risk from residential radon exposure (see:

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/brochure/profile_radon.htm). 


http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs145.html


Regards, Bill Field

> Dr. Cohen,
>
> I don't understand your point.

        --I understood your message as a challenge to my statement that
Koop did not issue the statement and did not speak up on it at the time.
If you look at the material below, you will see why. Actually, Koop's
failure to speak out was taken by many of those in the radon
measurement industry as a disappointment, because Koop was quite famous at
that time.

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