Ethics vs. Safety

[Ron Morgan <rgmorgan@lanl.gov>]

On Sat, 20 Feb 1999 Mark Hanlon wrote (in part):
 
>I have to comment on a research protocol which proposes to
>subject normal healthy minors to three 20 minute scans within 24
>hours. Subjects are given a pre-sacn questionnaire in order to
>identify some conditions which would contra-indicate MRI.

>I think this is an ethical issue, not a safety issue.

I guess I don't understand the distinction between ethics issues and safety
issues in this case (ethics and safety are siamese twins for safety
professionals, in my opinion).  If the MRSs (MRIs?) won't harm the kids
(assuming they're volunteers), how would it be an ethical issue?  The
absence of a safety issue, in my mind, drives the ethical issues to zero
(again, assuming they volunteer).  It seems to me that we're back to LNT.
Will three closely-spaced MRS(I?)s harm a child? LNT says yes, therefore it
IS a safety issue...Reject LNT, and decide for yourself if it's a safety
issue (based, perhaps, on a threshold?).

Comments?    ron

*********************************************
   Ron Morgan
   Radiation Protection Services (ESH-12)
   Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS K-483
   Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87544 (USA)
   Phone (505) 665-7843
   FAX   (505) 667-9726
   Mailto:rgmorgan@lanl.gov
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