Fwd: Iodine therapy patients (again) -Reply

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Forwarded message:
From:	wnikesch@flash.net (Walter Nikesch, Ph.D.)
Sender:	medphys@LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Medical Physics Listserver)
Reply-to:	wnikesch@flash.net
To:	MEDPHYS@LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Multiple recipients of list MEDPHYS)
Date: 97-10-17 18:28:07 EDT

There is nothing wrong with this rule (New NRC patient release
criteria).  Remember we're talking about 500 mrem (only releasing pts
after calculations show dose to others is "highly likely" to be less
than 500 mrem.)  Like all radiation safety calculations the "real" dose
is most likely to be MUCH LESS than 500 mrem.  (Who is going to sit at 1
meter  from the patient for 6 out of the first 8 hours and then for 6
out ouf 24 hours until total decay?)

Once the hospital administrators in the UK get wind of this I'm sure you
will follow the US lead.  The reason for the new rule is very simple
--MONEY.  Is the cost of keeping the patient hospitalized for 2 days
really worth it?  So that others don't get a few 100 mrem???  (remember,
others, who are well informed and educated, on this list don't mind
receiving several rem/year.) When the LNT vs threshold arguments come
down to important issues like money, money usually wins.

Walter Nikesch, Ph.D.
wnikesch@flash.net

A. Hancock wrote:
>
> Steve Cartwright wrote:
> >
> > You've got the gist of it.  Using the government's figures, we can
> > administer about 220 mCi (8GBq) of I-131 for thyroid cancer (although
> > it is possible to justify more).
>
> -----------------------------------
>
> Wow! Really, on an out-patient basis. Who the hell passed this law? Our
> UK Government Environment Agency, would have kittens if that was
> proposed here!
>
> I suppose one of our in-patients, who normally spend 2 - 3 days in
> hospital confined to their room could, as we say in the UK "do a runner"
> it's something we've considered but I imagine they'd be within their
> rights to discharge themselves. (no jokes about radioactive discharges!)
>
> Would they then be committing an offence? I'm sure the police could pin
> something on them, but again they would probably have to release them.
> Would NAIR be invoked I wonder? Any thoughts?
>
> N.B.    Sorry NAIR = National Arrangements for Incidents involving
> Radioactivity
>
> Bye & a good w/e to one & all
>
> Andy Hancock
> Charing Cross Hospital
> a.hancock@cxwms.ac.uk