RE: Midyear talk

[RuthWeiner@aol.com]

Dosimetry has a different purpose from standard-setting.  the latter moves you from the scientific inquiry realm into the regulatory realm, and the researchers are not the ones who are going to do the regulating.  I think it is important to separate these two concepts.  No one questions the need for dosimetry.



I guess I also feel that nothing is innocent anymore.



ruth





In a message dated 2/13/2004 11:12:28 AM Eastern Standard Time, "Stabin, Michael" <michael.g.stabin@Vanderbilt.Edu> writes:



>>Most animals don't live long enough to get cancer.

>

>I've wondered about that, I would like to learn more about this.

>

>>This seems to be just another effort to (a) get research money for a

>project whose evaluation will be so difficult that anything would be

>acceptable, and/or (2) just another anti-nuke ploy.

>

>Some people at the Midyear were indeed of the opinion that this would

>really be a huge waste of money. I don't think the main motives are

>either "easy money for dumb research" or anti-nuclear. I think it is a

>logical extension of pro-environmental thought, and it is part of the

>definition of health physics ("protection of humans and the environment

>from the harmful effects of radiation while permitting its beneficial

>applications"). While at Oak Ridge, we got more than one request for

>radiation dose calculations for animal species (fish near power plants,

>animals getting nuclear medicine exams). I don't think it's a completely

>improper question, but I also think it's an area that should be

>thoroughly debated before many resources are committed to it.

>

>We are doing some development now (and we are not the first) to develop

>some standard mouse and rat models for dosimetry, because in the testing

>of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals one sometimes needs help explaining

>radiotoxic effects in the animal trials. The standard internal dose

>assumption that all beta energy is absorbed in the organ in which it is

>emitted does not hold for high energy betas in tiny animal organs, and

>significant organ cross irradiation can occur.

>

>Mike

>

>

>Michael G. Stabin, PhD, CHP

>Assistant Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences

>Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences

>Vanderbilt University

>1161 21st Avenue South

>Nashville, TN 37232-2675

>Phone (615) 343-0068

>Fax   (615) 322-3764

>Pager (615) 835-5153

>e-mail     michael.g.stabin@vanderbilt.edu

>internet   www.doseinfo-radar.com

>





-- 

Ruth F. Weiner

ruthweiner@aol.com

505-856-5011

(o)505-284-8406