International organizations, risk assessment and research –why, what and how

Publication date: Available online 8 March 2017 Source:Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis Author(s): R. Julian Preston The process of setting radiation protection standards requires the interaction of a number of international and national organizations that in turn require the input of scientific and regulatory experts. Bill Morgan served in an expert capacity for several of these organizations particularly for the application of radiation biology data to risk assessment. He brought great enthusiasm and dedication to these committee efforts. In fact, he really enjoyed this type of service. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), for example, provides comprehensive reviews of the input data for radiation risk assessments. In this context, they do not conduct risk assessments. In Europe, a research component of the risk assessment process is provided by the Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative (MELODI). Specific issue areas are identified for which additional research can aid in reducing uncertainty in risk assessments. The International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP) uses these types of input data to develop nominal cancer risk estimates as input data for establishing dose limits for the public and workers. A similar regulatory role is provided in the US by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). The NCRP Reports address the underlying pri...
Source: Mutation Research Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis - Category: Cytology Source Type: research