[ RadSafe ] Deaths from radiation cancer rising?

[Fred Dawson]

FYI the HPA report makes very interesting reading, it can be found on the 
HPA web site at

http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpa/news/articles/press_releases/2005/050524_ionising_review.htm

http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd_reports/2005/hpa_rpd_001.htm


Fred Dawson
New Malden
Surrey. KT3 5BP
England


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <goldinem at songs.sce.com>
To: <radsafe at radlab.nl>
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:19 PM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Deaths from radiation cancer rising?


>
> Don't shoot the messenger, I saw these in a news service.  This first
> article is from the Daily Telegraph (British?) and the second is from the
> Scotsman.  Personally, I prefer the second because I thought that all the
> expert agencies (NCRP, ICRP) recommend specifically against applying risk
> coefficients from small doses to very large groups of people and 
> calculating
> "excess" induced cancers.
>
> Eric Goldin, CHP
>
> <goldinem at songs.sce.com>
>
>
>
> Deaths from radiation cancer rising
> By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
> (Filed: 24/05/2005)
>
>
> The population's exposure to radiation has increased and will result in
> about 100 extra cancer deaths each year, says a study published yesterday.
>
>
> New medical diagnostic techniques such as computed tomography (CT) scans
> have contributed to the rise in an average annual exposure still dominated
> by natural sources, the Board of the Health Protection Agency was told
> yesterday.
>
>
> The report by the agency's radiation protection division says the average
> annual dose of ionising radiation exposure - including X-rays, neutrons 
> and
> alpha rays - has risen to 2.7 millisieverts (mSv) compared with 2.6 mSv in
> 1999.
>
>
> Medical uses of radiation account for the largest man-made contribution to
> the overall average annual dose, comprising about 15 per cent. But the
> estimated resulting rise in deaths of about 100 is more than likely to be
> offset by the lives saved by using X-rays in medicine, says Dr Mike Clark,
> for the agency.
>
>
> The report says average exposure caused by non-nuclear industries - such 
> as
> phosphates, oil and gas - is greater than from the nuclear. But 84 per 
> cent
> of exposure is natural radiation, of which more than 50 per cent is from
> radon gas in buildings.
>
> From The Scotsman
>
>
>
>
>               CT scans raise average exposure to radiation
>
>               EDWARD BLACK
>
>               NEW medical scanning techniques and an increase in air 
> travel
>               are contributing to an increase in the average person's 
> annual
>               exposure to radiation, a conference in Edinburgh will hear
>               today.
>               According to the Health Protection Agency, the average dose 
> of
>               ionising radiation exposure is 2.7 millisieverts, compared
>               with 2.6 in 1999.
>
>               More frequent medical use of CT scans has contributed to the
>               rise in exposure. The increasing popularity of air travel 
> has
>               also played a part, because flying above 35,000ft increases
>               people's exposure to cosmic rays by 100 times the rate at
>               ground level.
>
>               Eighty-four per cent of radiation exposure is natural - and
>               more than half of that is caused by radon accumulation 
> within
>               buildings. This means there are considerable variations in
>               doses across the country.
>               However, contrary to public perception, scientists found 
> that
>               nuclear power stations posed a virtually non-existent risk 
> to
>               the public.
>
>               Sir William Stewart, the chairman of the Health Protection
>               Agency, said: "For most of us, about 99 per cent of our dose
>               comes from natural and medical sources. People need to know
>               these facts."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> You are currently subscribed to the radsafe mailing list radsafe at radlab.nl
>
> Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood 
> the RadSafe rules. These can be found at: 
> http://radlab.nl/radsafe/radsaferules.html
>
> For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings 
> visit: http://radlab.nl/radsafe/
>