Risk Assessment for Low-Dose and Low-Dose-Rate Radiation

Abstract

I doubt if we will come up with an answer for this assessment, but I am sure a number of you have something to say on the subject. Let me introduce it by pointing out that there have been several US National Research Council studies on the subject of assessment of risk from ionizing radiation. One is called BEIR III (the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation). It created a great deal of controversy because it represented the average view of the committee and had two dissents. One said the report was too conservative and the other said just the opposite. So perhaps it was a good average after all. A second report which has recently appeared is called FREIR (Federal Research Efforts in Ionizing Radiation). This report was wise and made no attempt to assess the risk from ionizing radiation but indicated the kinds of research that might be useful in reaching conclusions about the quantitative effects of ionizing radiation.