Re: Peer-reviewed references. Apology re "Union Connection"

[howard long <hflong@pacbell.net>]

I apologize to Dr. Barish for suggesting he had represented a flight crew union. 

I did not have first hand information about that.

 

However, the spin from the editor who refused rebuttle of Dr Barrish's LNT assumptions,

gave bogus fear to the flying public, including my patients. 

 

I hope Dr. Barish will update his article, as he seems inclined to do (below). Those medical peer reviewers deceived by LNT dictates need to be brought up to date by such hormesis for reducing fetal deformities. Fetal deformities were Observed 3, vs Expected 23, in Taiwan apartments dosing 10,000 people for 9-20 years with 0.4 Sv, 

(=40 cSv, cGray, rem or rad from Co 60). See JAmPhysSurg  9/1 pp 6-10, also peer reviewed.

 

Flyers BENEFIT from radiation.

 

Howard Long

 



ROBBARISH@AOL.COM wrote:



Dear List members:



I'm not used to having the legitimacy of my academic publications questioned, particularly when they are indexed on Entrez PubMed and are readily available for public scrutiny.



Since there was a question about whether JABFP is a peer-reviewed publication, I submit the following description from the web site of the ABFP. Pay particular attention to the last sentence of the description:



About The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice 



The primary purpose of the JABFP is to publish original papers pertaining to clinical investigations and case reports and review articles pertinent to the specialty of Family Practice. The articles published are intended to provide new and valuable information or reference by the entire medical community. It is also intended to serve as an important forum for the specialty of Family Practice and as a medium for timely information concerning the activities of the American Board of Family Practice. 



The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice welcomes for editorial review manuscripts that contribute to family practice as a clinical scientific discipline. High priority is given to reports of clinically relevant studies that have practical implications for improved patient care. Manuscripts are considered in relation to the extent to which they represent original work, their significance to the advancement of family medicine, and their interest to the practicing family physician. Manuscripts are submitted to an anonymous, confidential peer-review process, which is usually completed within about 6 weeks.



In-flight radiation: counseling patients about risk 

J Am Board Fam Pract 1999 12: 195-199.



 



Another paper of mine appeared recently in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology. I submit that description as well:



About Obstetrics & Gynecology



Obstetrics & Gynecology is the Official Publication of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 



Popularly known as "The Green Journal," Obstetrics & Gynecology publishes original articles and research studies on: scientific advances, new medical and surgical techniques, obstetric management, and clinical evaluation of drugs and instruments. 



In addition to its authoritative articles and studies, Obstetrics & Gynecology continues to feature the sections that obstetricians and gynecologists around the world have come to depend upon: Case Reports, Current Commentaries, Expert Clinical Series, Personal Perspectives, Editorials, and Letters. Obstetrics & Gynecology's rigorous editorial policies ensure that all articles are of the highest quality and that they are published while current. These policies have made The Green Journal one of the most respected and most consulted journals in the world. 



Obstetrics & Gynecology is the most complete and reliable source of information on current developments in women's health care. Audience: Obstetricians, Gynecologists, General Practitioners, Family Practitioners, Endocrinologists, Oncologists. 



In-Flight Radiation Exposure During Pregnancy

Obstet. Gynecol., Jun 2004; 103: 1326 - 1330.



 



For the benefit of those who don't want to research these articles in their entirety, I concluded that the risks of in-flight radiation are trivial during pregnancy, with the exception of the first day of pregnancy when even a small dose of radiation might cause spontaneous miscarriage. In the JABFP article I also conclude that the risks to passengers during casual travel are trivial but may not be completely negligible for crewmembers and other very-frequent flyers if LNT is valid. I didn't say that it is valid, I only explained how that theory worked. There is nothing sensational about either of these papers or, indeed, about any other of my comments on this subject that can be found in the RADSAFE archives and in the Ask the Expert section of the Health Physics Society website. 



 



Regarding the statement by Dr. Long that I was somehow employed by a union, I categorically deny that unsupported allegation. My affiliation as Chief Physicist of the Cancer Institute of St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center in New York is clearly stated on the JABFP paper. Additionally, I had no say in whether, following publication of that paper, the editorial board of the JABFP rejected a letter to the editor by Long, et. al. advancing hormesis as a likely result of in-flight radiation exposure. The decision to reject that letter was made by the journal, not by me.



 



Robert J. Barish, Ph.D., CHP



robbarish@aol.com