Minimising the Health Consequences of Nuclear Accidents – do we need to reassess our response?

Our acceptance of exposure to radiation is somewhat schizophrenic.  We accept that the use of high doses of radiation is still one of the most valuable weapons in our fight against cancer, and believe that bathing in radioactive spas is beneficial.  On the other hand, as a species, we are fearful of exposure to man-made radiation as a result of accidents related to power generation, even though we understand that the doses are orders of magnitude lower than those we use everyday in medicine.  The 70^th anniversary of the detonation of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was marked in 2015.  The 30^th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident will be marked in April 2016.  March 2016 also sees the 5^th anniversary of the accident at the Fukushima Nuclear power plant.  Perhaps now is an opportune time to assess whether we are right to be fearful of the effects of low doses of radiation, or whether actions taken because of our fear of radiation actually cause a greater detriment to health than the direct effect of radiation exposure.

NCBJ bus leaves to Świerk at 10.15 am from entrance gate to the Hoża 69 premises in Warsaw.

All interested persons are invited.
Professor Ludwik Dobrzyński