Radiation-related health risks: future directions for research?
Article Abstract:
Radiation-related research including the ongoing studies of the atomic bomb survivors is necessary to characterize the health risks of ionizing radiation. The Radiation Effects Research Foundation's (RERF's) studies of atomic bomb survivors have produced most of the data on radiation-related health risks. Funding limitations and management issues may jeopardize the future of RERF activities. The managing body must ensure that the RERF's scientific direction remains separate from that of its funding agency. Increased opportunities and improved training for radiation health scientists must be a priority. Restored RERF funding is necessary to support the ongoing follow-up of atomic bomb survivors until the year 2015 or longer to gauge the long-term health effects of radiation on people exposed early in life. Funding must support radiation-related research involving other groups of people to fully characterize the associated health risks.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1995
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Caring for survivors of the Chernobyl disaster: what the clinician should know
Article Abstract:
US immigrants exposed to radiation from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster should receive regular medical screenings and follow-up care. Many people from Chernobyl-contaminated areas express anxiety and concern about radiation-induced illnesses, although researchers have not identified radiation-related health problems in the exposed population. Physicians should provide routine physical examinations to adults exposed to chronic low-level radiation. Thyroid function tests, blood tests, and a urinalysis are advised for most patients. Cancer screenings should be performed in accordance with established guidelines. Pediatricians should examine exposed children and measure their height, head circumference, and weight. Follow-up care is necessary to monitor children's growth. Young patients with suspected blood abnormalities, thyroid disorders, or neuropsychiatric problems should receive appropriate diagnostic tests.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1995
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