A question of ethics

[Al Tschaeche <xat@inel.gov>]

The thread about ethics and telling patients about the risks of medical
radiation procedures is an interesting one.  I agree that doctors should
always inform their patients about the risks of any medical procedure or
prescription.  The real question is what will the patient do with the
information?  There seem to be only two things a patient might do:  accept
the risk and go on with the procedure, or, don't accept the risk and do not
go on with the procedure.  However, that is true for ALL the risks, not just
radiation risks.  My wife refused a medical procedure (not involving
radiation) after the risks were explained.  But, for another procedure that
did involve radiation exposure, she decided to do it, mostly because of the
information she has received from me over the years about how UNRISKY
radiation exposure is.  Her exposure was not trivial - 30 rem TEDE over 30
days and 5000 rem to one organ.  And here is where I'd like to make my pitch.

Let's have the federal government require all risks of medical radiation
exposure to be fully explained to every nuclear medicine and radiology
patient.  That would be millions of people educated about radiation risks.
We might be able to have the medical profession do what the rest of us have
not been able to do, namely: educate the public about radiation risks.  In
addition, the law could require recording the dose and reporting it to
Congress and the public.  Then the public could see where the majority of
their non-natural background exposure comes from.  Any thoughts about this
idea?  If you agree, how do we get the appropriate law passed?  Al Tschaeche
xat@inel.gov
Al  Tschaeche xat@inel.gov phone: 208-526-3383, fax: 208-526-7291