Pilot Radiation Benefit/Harm

[howard long <hflong@pacbell.net>]

Journal of American Board of Family Practice published an LNT article about theoretic harm to airline personnel (whose union he represented) a few years ago. The editor refused to publish a brief hormesis rebuttle with references, signed by myself, Myron Pollycove and Lewis Helgeson, my friend, health physicist and principle of Helgeson Nuclear Serices  (manufacturer of radiation dose counters used at many nuclear power facilities). Lew introduced me to this often helpful chat box.

 

Howard Long MD MPH



L.GOV> wrote:

OK, so the dose to his medicine was 50x less. That's more than 10x. I said 

that the dose from the x-ray machine was more than an order of magnitude 

less than what it'd receive during the flight. I'm not sure what your 

problem is with what I said. I even pointed out what an order of magnitude 

meant.



The individual did not say he was a flight crew member (even pilots fly 

more than 20 times/year). I'm not aware of anyone who has flown for a 365 

days continuously.



The number of publications that discuss peoples' concerns about any subject 

are indeed numerable (not innumerous), although I doubt it's worth the 

effort. The number of reputable (i.e. peer-reviewed) publications that 

discuss actual harm to women employed by airlines is quite numerable, and 

small. The number of reputable (i.e. peer-reviewed) publications that 

discuss the lack of actual harm to people ( I hate excluding any person 

based on biology) employed by airlines is quite numerable, and larger.



And even after looking at the posting again, I'm unsure why you're going 

off on hormesis.



There are references included in my posting that enable people to use 

peer-reviewed tools and publications to evaluate their doses during flights.



Just trying to he helpful : )



(Obviously my own opinions)

Brian Rees







At 01:03 PM 11/13/2004, you wrote:

>I beg to differ:

>

>I once MEASURED the radiation dose during an intercontinental flight:

>It was *** 50 times *** HIGHER than the background radiation at sea level.

>

>For a continuous flight of 365 days, the total radiation exceeds the 

>OCCUPATIONAL

>limit of 5 Rads. This certainly is a point of concern to women employed by 

>the airlines, as can be verified by innumerous publications.

>

>Besides, I do not subscribe to the Hormesis theory that will soon find 

>(paid?) followers here and elsewhere, that advocates low (how much is 

>LOW?) X-Ray radiation is actually beneficial.

>

>Reuven Zach

>Medical Physicist

>

>===================================================================

>

>

>

>

>----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Rees" 



>To: "M Nivas" ; 

>Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2004 7:40 AM

>Subject: Re: Airport screening and medicine

>

>

>>Tom,

>>

>>I have measured the dose through a typical x-ray inspection machine at 

>>140-200 uR. (0.14 -0.20 mR) This is more than an order of magnitude (10x) 

>>less than the dose received during your flight. You can look up 

>>radiation doses received during a flight on a number of sites, Reference 

>>provided below. There are more references in the archives, use subject 

>>line below.

>>

>>Brian Rees

>>

>>Subject: RE: In-flight radiation doses

>>From: "Edwards, Richard W" 

>>To: 

>>

>>In the midst of all of this was a reference to on-line dose calculators. 

>>There's CARI, which is on a U.S. FAA web site 

>>(http://www.cami.jccbi.gov/AAM-600/Radiation/600radio.html) and EPCARD, 

>>which is on the German National Research Center for Environment and 

>>Health web site (http://www.gsf.de/epcard/eng_start.php).

>>

>> >From: Bill Prestwich [mailto:prestwic@mcmaster.ca]

>> >Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 7:53 AM

>> >To: ?????? ??

>> ...snip...

>> >with no subject line. You can view the Radsafe archives at

>> >http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/

>>

>>

>>At 07:56 AM 11/13/2004, you wrote:

>>>Greetings all:

>>>

>>>I fly a lot across the U.S. (20 times this year) and I

>>>take several medications. Some of my pills have been

>>>screened several times. My question is how much

>>>damage is there to my medications that have been

>>>screened several times? Has this ever been looked

>>>into by anyone?

>>>

>>>Thanks in advance,

>>>

>>>Tom Savin

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>__________________________________

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