Re: Dose vs Regs cont'd

[Free Spirit <FRANK@rover.bsd.uchicago.edu>]

>From:	SMTP%"radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu" 29-NOV-1995 14:00:45.23
>From: mozley@darius.pet.upenn.edu (P. David Mozley, M.D.)
>Rational professionals can not base their behavior
>on the worry that someone may eventually sue.  To wit, several years ago,
>an astrologer in town was awarded >1 million dollars when she claimed that
>an x-ray CT scan robbed her of several intrapsychic powers, even though the
>procedure was medically indicated.  

	Near my house the Chicago "El" end up runing at ground level
	with fences along the right of way and large warning signs at
	each street crosing. One very inebriated gentleman decided to
	stagger down the right-of-way to relieve himself, wizzed on the
	third rail, and killed himself. His widow got about $1million
	from the transit authority because the signs were not in his
	native language. (He happened to be Humong.)

	The transist athority has made no major changes to the crossing
	signs, etc. and millions of people in Chicago are not being
	electrocuted. The CTA considers the cost of the award a part of
	doing business.

	The real, non-scientific question is cost. Cost of compliance to
	lower levels of exposure (for IMHO, no significant gain,) versus
	cost of the occasional off-the-wall suit that comes around is
	the main calculation. Also figure that those who sue will sue
	no matter WHAT the exposure.

	/*Begin tongue in cheek*/
	Medicine has it somewhat easier. We do more proceedures, films
	etc in CYA mode, and charge for it.
	/*End tongue in cheek*/

Frank R. Borger - Physicist     ___      "One third of the rats were improved
Michael Reese - U of Chicago   |___      on the experimental medication, one
Center for Radiation Therapy   | |_) _   third remained the same, and the 
net: Frank@rover.uchicago.edu    | \|_)  other one third could not be repor-
ph: 312-791-8075 fa: 791-2517       |_)  ted on, because that rat got away."
                                         - Edwin Bidwell Wilson