Draft Scientific Committee 1-6 Report -Reply

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

Sandy,

Thanks for the info!  Aside from my ditto to Fritz's question (i.e., who
are the authors of this report? aside from the Chair, Meinhold), I
would say that this does not even come close to a hard look at the
LNT hypothesis.

Basically, it boils down to this:

*Current studies point out the POSSIBILITY of an LNT effect,
especially for solid tumor induction following acute doses, but
occupational exposure studies present no reliable data.

*Most studies are flawed in one way or another, but there exists the
POSSIBILITY that LNT may hold.  Plus, the authors are now citing
"theoretical evidence."  Boy, that really cuts down on the data
collection!

*Pooh, pooh on hormesis.  Well, at least they did cite UNSCEAR
and proceeded to trash it based on nothing more firm than what
they're using to support LNT.

*Adaptive responses are real and proven, and yet somehow have no
affect on the POSSIBILITY that LNT may hold.  Dose rates above 5
rad per minute have elicited adaptive responses but somehow,
since there is limited data below this dose rate, the authors assume
that the body has a lower capability for adaptive responses at lower
dose rates.  Huh?

*WE NEED MORE MONEY TO GO STUDY THIS (which, I believe, is
the ultimate aim of the report) -- READ:  The Radiation Bogeyman
MAY BE silently killing millions of people, BUT we need more
money to study this and confirm such is the case.  This is the ONLY
answer you'll ever get from these people.

To paraphrase T. Rockwell, this is intellectual and scientific
cowardice.  This was not an earnest evaluation, but rather a grant
proposal written under cover of the NCRP.  

This report is set up to prove a negative:  there is no definitive proof
that LNT does not exist, therefore, it must exist.  I sincerely hope this
was not what the NRC and DOE were looking for in their
investigation of the LNT.  If anyone needs to paint their fence, this
would make for a good whitewash.

Have a great day!
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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