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Saturday, November 24, 2012

PSR Plays The "Safe" Game

The Physicians For Social Responsibility (PSR) is an anti-nuclear group and it contains an Environmental Health Policy Institute.  Their current topic is Radioactivity and Health.

Two of the papers deal with health physics and both play on the word "safe" ("Radiation's Risk To Public Health" & "An Overview Of Radiation and Health").

Those authors over-emphasize the absolute meaning of "safe"....that radiation exposure does increase the risk of cancer.  That's true.

But there's also a relative meaning of "safe"....meaning that every endeavor involves some sort of risk so any radiation exposure (and any associated benefit) should be considered relative to other endeavors.  So, we can compare the risk of an x-ray in order to diagnose a pain we're experiencing to an alternative of surgery which involves its own risk.  Or we can forgo diagnosis, which also has its own risks.

We can compare the risk of radiation exposure from nuclear power to risks associated with other energy sources.  Or we can forgo energy, which has its own risks.  Energy is a benefit which powers hospitals, heating and cooling systems, etc. and therefore saves lives.  Of course electricity itself also kills people, in addition to the byproducts of energy production.

If the PSR elaborated on relative safety, it would talk itself out of its agenda.

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