Re: Potassium Iodide -Reply

[Joseph_Weiss@EH-DCNOTES02.eh.doe.gov]

Hi Neil,

There has been very little response.  I will forward you the most
interesting exchange, in case you missed it.  Tom gave me a copy of a draft
report for comment that was given out at the HP meeting - written by
Congel, McKenna, Mohseni, and Willis.  It is available at
http://www.nrc.gov/NR/NUREGS/SR1633/index.html    The change in direction,
appears to be mainly due to the petition of Peter Crane, an NRC attorney
who had thyroid cancer.  According to an NRC press release, the action is
taken "in recognition of the European experience during and following the
Chernobyl accident."  According to the CBS TV report early in July, KI
saved the Polish population from developing numerous cases of thyroid
cancer and prompted the change.  This is what prompted me to bring up the
issue on RADSFE - it seemed like triumph of politics over strong scientific
evidence (again).  However, it is hard for me to see that the authors
provide convincing evidence in the draft report based on the "European
experience" - maybe it is because it is poorly written.

Keep in touch,
Joe