On the Linear Model

[HWADE@aol.com]

To the Subscribers:
In the HPS October Newsletter Dan Strom's feature article advocates and
endorses using the Linear Model for radiation protection purposes. Dr.
Strom's article was accompanied by a letter from Charles Meinhold titled
"Strom Has It Exactly Right!!"

Other authorities have had, however, a differing opinion.

For example, the HPS Newsletter, v.XVI, no.11, November 1988 had another
feature article from which I have extracted the following two sentences.

In 1988 the Health Physics Society took the position that a generic annual
exposure level, "below regulatory concern", should be approximately 10 to 20
millirem per year.
In his presentation to the NRC on this topic, Lauriston Taylor, Chair of the
Society Committee that prepared the position paper, stated that "if used for
projecting real effects that will occur following low-level exposures of the
public, the assumption of proportionality is inappropriate and misleading,
and should not be so used."

In my opinion Dr. Taylor's statement is still correct.

H.Wade Patterson CHP
1116 Linda Lane
Lakeview OR 97630
(503) 947-4974