Advice on CERRIE’s review of internal radiation emitters risks
COMARE’s ninth report: advice to government on the review of radiation risks from radioactive internal emitters by CERRIE.
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In the field of radiation research there exists a lack of complete consensus among scientists about the quantification of risks from a variety of radiation exposure routes and radiation types. This lack of consensus can often be attributed to the gaps in knowledge about various biological pathways that ultimately result in uncertainties in risk calculations.
The work of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters (CERRIE) and this response by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) is limited to the risk to health from exposure to radioactive internal emitters, ie radionuclides that have been internalised (taken into the body) by a variety of routes but mainly by inhalation or ingestion.
Where there is a lack of scientific consensus it helps if the size of any discrepancies can be quantified. When this can be achieved it is usually possible to consider what further research needs to be undertaken to help clarify the situation.