physicians [think they] know everything

[LIPTONW@dteenergy.com]

See attached NRC Event Report. 
 
Could someone from the Washington Department of Health, Division of
Radiation 
Protection provide additional information? 
 
e.g., How's the cat? 
 
The opinions expressed are strictly mine. 
It's not about dose, it's about trust. 
 
Bill Lipton 
liptonw@dteenergy.com 
 
 
US CUSTOMS INTERCEPTED UNAUTHORIZED TRANSPORTATION OF IODINE 131 BY         
| 
| INDIVIDUAL                                                                
  
| 
|                                                                           
  
| 
| Event Report #WA-99-017                                                   
  
| 
|                                                                           
  
| 
| "On Tuesday, June 1, 1999, US Customs at Seattle-Tacoma International     
  
| 
| Airport detained a passenger whose luggage was detected to be radioactive.
  
| 
| The alarm level was the highest on the US Customs meters.  The passenger
was 
| 
| determined to be a [World Health Organization (WHO)] physician in-bound
from 
| 
| Thailand on his way home to Alaska.   The physician admitted that he was  
  
| 
| bringing I-131 with him to his home in Alaska where he intended to treat
his 
| 
| cat for hyperthyroidism.  He did not have a license or any other          
  
| 
| authorization for the radioactive material.                               
  
| 
|                                                                           
  
| 
| "US Customs contacted the emergency number for the Washington Department
of  
| 
| Health, Division of Radiation Protection (WDOH).  During this initial     
  
| 
| contact, it was determined that the glass vial containing 4 to 6
millicuries 
| 
| of  I-131 was being carried with NO SHIELDING and appeared to constitute a
  
| 
| public health threat.   WDOH immediately asked the US Customs to seize the
  
| 
| material under state law prohibiting possession of radioactive material   
  
| 
| without a license.   The pouch containing the vial was quickly isolated by
  
| 
| US Customs, and staff from WDOH were dispatched.   The passenger was
allowed 
| 
| to continue home to Alaska.                                               
  
| 
|                                                                           
  
| 
| "WDOH staff arrived at US Customs at 6 PM and noted that radiation levels
in 
| 
| the office were about twice background.  The I-131 had been placed in a   
  
| 
| storage room about 50 feet away from US Customs staff.  Dose rates
exceeding 
| 
| 2 mR/hour where noted within several feet of the pouch, and the vial was  
  
| 
| immediately placed into a lead shield and brought to the office for safe  
  
| 
| storage.  No contamination was detected.                                  
  
| 
|                                                                           
  
| 
| "Radiation exposures to the US Customs personnel, airlines personnel, and 
  
| 
| airline passengers are being assessed.  The airline is being advised of
this 
| 
| event and US Customs has notified FAA.                                    
  
| 
|                                                                           
  
| 
| "Activity and Isotope(s) involved: I-131, approximately 6 millicuries as
of  
| 
| 3 PM (Pacific time), June 2, 1999.                                        
  
| 
| Overexposures?  Unknown at this time."                                    
  
| 
|                                                                           
  
| 
| (Call the NRC Operations Center for contact telephone numbers.)           
  
| 
  

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