Re: Informed consent

[steve hand <hand@wam.umd.edu>]

I am not in the medical field as far as radiation safety goes, but I
attended the April NCRP meeting on Radiation Protection in Medicine:
Contemporary Issues - I found it fascinating to say the least - but the next
to last speaker was a guy named Joel E. Gray whose title talk was Training
of Physicians and Support Staff - The time has come for credentialing and
Privileging for the Use of X Rays.  Mr. Gray stated that "Many individuals
using radiation do not know the doses to their patients. ... radiation
exposures for medical purposes are higher than necessary as evidenced by
national surveys carried out by the Food and Drug Administration."  These
quotes were from the abstract of his talk, and were repeated in his oral
presentation.   There were several other individuals who spoke over these
two days who emphatically emphasized the importance of radiation in medical
treatments and the need for a clear understanding to the patients and their
families of the role that the radiation plays in the procedure.  Working in
a radiation safety atmosphere I would ask questions about the dose to the
physician handling a procedure involving a family member or friend and would
expect a good estimate of the dose.  But others such as my parents would not
because they don't have my background.  There were many incredibly
fascinating uses of radiation displayed visibly and related orally at this
meeting - I sincerely hope that people who can take advantage of these
procedures do so, and that the physicians and individuals who perform these
procedures convey both the benefit and the risk to their patients.


Steve Hand
Radiation Safety
University of Maryland




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