Re: Intentional Use of Radionuclides for Harm

[William V Lipton <liptonw@dteenergy.com>]

While the doses to the "victims" of these incidents are generally low, there is
often psychological damage, litigation, and, definitely, a significant effect on
the RSO.  I suggest that you look at NUREG-1535, "Ingestion of Phosphorus-32 at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Identified on
August 19, 1995."  This is a classic case of a minor incident being made into a
major media event by the RSO response.  An established protocol would probably
have prevented this.  In addition to the NUREG, this attracted considerable
media attention.  An article in the October 19, 1995 issue of "Nature," a
respected scientific journal, begins:  "A post-doctoral fellow at the ... MIT
claims to be suffering from "pain all over [his] body" two months after an
incident in the laboratory of  ... in which he appears to have ingested over 500
microcuries of the radioactive isotope phosphorus-32.  So far the incident,
which took place on 14 August, has been kept quiet by MIT...the NRC says it was
first notified of what happened by MIT on Monday, after the institute had been
informed that "Nature" planned to report on it..."  The same issue also included
an article on a simlar incident:  "The ... FBI has launched a criminal
investigation into the circumstances under which 27 researchers at the National
Cancer Institute ... including a pregnant research fellow, were contaminated,
apparently deliberately - with the radioisotope phosphorus-32.  The ... NRC is
simultaneously investigating complaints from the fellow, Maryann Wenling Ma. and
her husband... that lax safety procedures ...  contributed to the contamination
incident.  ... one of Ma's three lawyers plans to sue NIH for the emotional
distress ..."

While sticking your head in the sand will not  prevent these incidents, how we
respond, especially at the initial stages, makes a big difference in the
outcome.  Decisions you have to make on the spot will be analyzed for months by
teams of high  priced lawyers.  If nothing else, an established protocol will
head off a lot of second guessing.

The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
It's not about dose, it's about trust.

Bill Lipton
liptonw@dteenergy.com

"Richard, Mack L" wrote:

> Dear Bill & Radsafers:
>
> I guess I'm going to have to disagree with Bill Lipton's thoughts that we
> need to develop strategic plans to deal with these events where someone
> attempts to harm someone else with radioactivity.  I'm not against being
> proactive, but the fact is that most of these events have resulted in little
> risk of significant effect to the exposed individuals.
>
> It is my opinion that the "knee jerk" response by both the regulators and
> the news media is partially responsible for these events in the first place.
> In most university research laboratories there are other hazardous materials
> that are infinitely more harmful than radioactivity (biohazards, chemicals,
> etc.).  In fact, you can go to your local grocery store and buy some pretty
> nasty stuff to put in someone's coffee (drain cleaners, etc.), so why do we
> go off the deep end when radioactivity is involved?!!.  Again, in my opinion
> these "nuts" who do this are either stupid or rely on the fact that the
> terms "radiation" and/or "radioactivity" invoke fear in the minds of the
> public.  Perhaps we need to provide terrorist training which basically says,
> "don't use radioactivity - it doesn't work!!" (I'm being facetious here).
>
> Finally, we university RSOs are not policemen and NRC or Agreement State
> rules and regulations are not designed to prevent deliberate acts.  There
> are other laws to deal with such things.  If the regulators and the news
> media would come out and say that these events have resulted in no
> perceptable harm, maybe the "nuts" would look for other ways to harm people.
>
> Regards,
>
> Mack L. Richard, M.S., C.H.P.
> Radiation Safety Officer - IUPUI/Indiana Univ. Med. Cntr.
> Phone #: (317) 274-0330   Fax #: (317) 274-2332
> E-Mail Address:  mrichar@iupui.edu
>
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