Study of Low-Dose-Rate Health Effects
Early findings based on approximately 600,000 workers and veterans to date include:
• An apparent association between occupational radiation and Parkinson’ s disease( consistent with Russian data)
• A very low risk of lung cancer and no difference in the risk between males and females( consistent with tuberculosisfluoroscopy patient data)
• A risk of leukemia excluding chronic lymphocytic leukemia( generally consistent with atomic bomb survivor data)
• Little evidence for an association with ischemic heart disease( IHD)
• Inconsistent evidence of increases in all solid cancers combined due in part to the heterogeneity of the cancer sites and the influence of uncontrolled confounding due to asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking
• Little evidence that contemporary radiation workers had higher risks than earlier workers, and
• Evidence that chromosomal damage could be detected 65 years after veteran exposure to fallout from nuclear weapons testing.
Efforts continue to evaluate additional workers with limited follow-up. This is occurring at large US Department of Energy facilities such as the Hanford and the Oak Ridge Sites, as well as US Navy personnel, including nuclear submariners and naval shipyard Mott MacDonald Restricted workers. The MPS has also reactivated the study of the US radium dial workers to complete one of the most important and influential radiation effects studies ever conducted.
This ongoing study is of critical importance, especially in scientific and policy areas of high US national and international interest. This includes safe and secure cleanup of historically contaminated sites, adequate protection from and assessment of radiation exposure during high altitude and space travel, the development of improved and new forms of nuclear power designs and resilient preparations for response to emergency radiological incidents.
We encounter ionising radiation every day- in jobs, at the doctor, and even just living life. Beyond the academic exercise of understanding risk, then, are practical questions about how to make informed choices about( potential) exposure. In our experience, people want to be happy, healthy and prosperous and want the same for their family and community. People are also generally curious and see value in learning about themselves and the wider world. A better understanding of potential impacts of radiological exposure enables more informed decisions which in turn can support a more sustainable and prosperous future.
See www. millionpersonstudy. org for more information.
World ' s first nuclear powered submarine( USS Nautilus, New York Harbour, August 1958)
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