Re: free speech

[William Prestwich <prestwic@mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca>]

Perhaps it is possible to analyze the situation generically. Whether it is

explicitly quantified or not, I think it is fair to assign as a figure of

merit for a diagnostic procedure the ratio of the information gained about

the state of the patient to the risk to the patient of performing the

procedure. In those procedures involving radiation the risk is related to

the equivalent dose. If for any reason this risk is overestimated, then

the figure of merit of the procedure is incorrectly assessed as being

lower than it actually is. For this reason, exaggerated claims of risk,

and models adopted solely for regulatory convenience, if they are also

incorrect and biased high can potentially harm innocent people by leading

to incorrect conclusions on the part of the medical practitioners.

Bill Prestwich