Radon in spas versus homes -Reply

[Michael S Ford <MFORD@pantex.com>]

Bill, 

>>> Bill Field wrote on Wed 14 Oct 98  19:22 >>>
In a message dated 10/14/98 9:59:02 AM Central Daylight Time,
MFORD@pantex.com
writes:
<<
<< Since epidemiological studies in BEIR IV and elsewhere have
<<long lamented the problems of confounding and the lack of
<<reliable measurements in the miner studies...... 
<<
<
<If one were interested in the effects (high dose - short term) of
<radon in spas, the individuals who frequent spas would serve as a
<reasonable sampling frame....
<
<Also, if you are looking at the potential lung cancer risk of
<"medicinal" radon therapy, it would limit the generalizability of the
<findings.  In other words, the findings would be applicable to
<individuals who are possibly already ill (arthritis, poor circulation,
<etc.)....
<
<In addition, the study would be extremely costly .... These studies
<... are rarely performed because of the expense and the number of
<individuals that would need to be enrolled. 
<
<Regards, Bill Field
<

Bill,  thanks for your insight on this issue.

After reading my initial post, I guess my main point was not
effectively expressed, and that is:  if ill people are receiving radon
therapy (high concentration over short periods)-- either in radon
spas or radon hospitals in Europe and Russia or in old U mines in
the US -- and the end result is that they find relief from their ailments
(documented case histories in many instances), how can we
maintain that radon is a carcinogen at levels as low as 4 pCi/L ?

The issue over the expense of large population studies is not new,
but it should not be an impediment to finding an answer.  If the EPA
is going to maintain that radon is the second leading cause of lung
cancer in the US (and presumably the world), then it would only
seem reasonable that they would undertake a study to look at cases
where radon is being administered in controlled amounts and in a
controlled environment (i.e., radon hospitals, not spas).

v/r
Michael
*************************
Michael S. Ford, CHP
Texas Radiation Advisory Board
Address:
Radiation Safety Department
Battelle Pantex
Amarillo, TX
806.477.5727 phone
806.477.4198 fax
mford@pantex.com
*************************
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