Re: Article on Contaminated NIH Researcher

[michael_coogen@ccgw1.hq.dla.mil]

     The pains in her abdomen and back could be associated with her 
     pregnancy, however, the fact the she was caused an intake of P-32, 
     well everything is revelant....isn't it...the risk factor increases 
     whether real or science.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Article on Contaminated NIH Researcher
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at ~GW1
Date:    2/26/96 8:30 AM


The latest issue (March/April) of Health magazine has an article about the 
NIH researcher who ingested P-32 during her pregnancy.  The article is 
titled "Who Poisoned Maryann Ma?" I have been reading this magazine for 
several years and in the past was impressed with their apparent ability to 
be objective and to present balanced information on an issue.  An earlier 
article on food irradiation was well written.  This current article 
carefully avoids taking sides on the issue of who caused the 
contamination, presenting both sides equally.  However, while not as 
alarmist as some of the other articles written on this incident, the 
information on the contamination itself and possible consequences could 
have been researched a little better.  
     
P-33 is called "a relatively harmless, low-level radioactive chemical" 
while P-32 is referred to as "a highly radioactive phosphorus isotope." The 
article implies that exhaustion and pains in her abdomen and back were due 
to the radiation exposure (this is a pregnant woman they're talking about - 
I'm not an expert on the subject, but wouldn't these be common problems 
during a pregnancy?).  It states that the dose she received doubles her 
risk of getting cancer and, "of course," puts a fetus at much greater risk. 
 An associate professor of radiation health sciences at Johns Hopkins 
School of Public Health is quoted as saying, "We assume that no dose, no 
matter how small, is safe.  And for something like childhood leukemia, we 
assume that there is a risk, no matter what the dose." (Apparently a firm 
believer in the linear, no threshold model.)
     
     
Liz Brackett, CHP
ebracket@freenet.columbus.oh.us