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Re: NIH
This issue should be one of great concern to all who work in laboratories
that use large amounts of "free" isotopes. .... e.g. non-sealed sources. I
don't know the details of the NIH situation; but, I am sure that they are on
top of this one. In my opinion we as a community need to withhold comment
on this issue until NIH is able to release the facts. On one of the
Washington, D.C. early morning TV news programs, it was stated "the NRC and
FBI are investigating this incident." I don't know if the FBI is looking
into it or not .... we can certainly be assured that NRC is looking at this
issue very seriously. The involved researcher has asked NRC to revoke the
NIH By-product Materials License. If such a thing were to happen, the
effect on biomedical research would be devistating!! Whatever the details
are, it certainly appears that there was deliberate rather than accidental
contamination of non-laboratory spaces and that the woman who is complaining
did indeed injest some P-32.
It is very unfortunate, that we have folks who do things like this.
The headaches, and hours of research into "what", "why", "how" and "how
much" are ones that none of us need.
JERRY THOMAS
At 12:33 10/11/95 -0500, you wrote:
>Thank you so much for getting back to me.
>
>I take it that an accidental P-32 "contamination" of a water cooler or a
>sandwich is not theoretically possible without considerating the event as
>representing a deliberate act?
>
>It would be very much appreciated if an informed person responded. Was
>P-32 actually found in the water coolers, or in a single water cooler?
>
>Does anyone remember Susan Smith?
>
>
>>In response to the previous public question: Yes, this event clearly happened.
>>It is not an alleged event.
>>A pregnant woman researcher was contaminated via food.
>>Other were contaminated via water bottle dispensing stations.
>>Contamination was found at various locations.
>>
>>Perhaps an NIH reader can give more info than has appeared in the W.Post.
>>
>>SLABACK@MICF.NIST.GOV
>> ...a little risk, like a bit of spice, adds flavor to life
>
>
>
>
CAPT Jerry A. Thomas, MSC, USN
Chief Radiological Physics
Department of Radiology/Nuclear Medicine
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Bethesda, MD 20814-4799
E-mail: thomas@bob.usuf2.usuhs.mil
Phone: (301) 295-3246
Fax: (301) 295-3893