Problems in Assessing the Cancer Risks of Low-Level Ionizing Radiation Exposure
EMD-81-1
Published: Jan 02, 1981. Publicly Released: Jan 02, 1981.
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Highlights
Public concern about the health effects of low-level ionizing radiation exposure has increased in recent years. Therefore, GAO undertook a study to determine what definite conclusions, if any, can be drawn from current scientific knowledge about the cancer risks of low-level ionizing radiation exposure and what conclusions can be drawn about the best direction for current and future federal research. The immediate goal of the federal research program is to develop a database for estimating the risk of low-level radiation exposure. The long-term goal is to understand the mechanisms and processes of how radiation causes cancer. Data from two studies involving low-level radiation were analyzed; a literature search was conducted; and the current status of ionizing radiation research was reviewed.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress should enact legislation giving statutory authority to an interagency committee to coordinate federal research on the health effects of ionizing radiation exposure. |
Closed – Not Implemented
|
Congress has not acted on the specific legislation this past session and all indications point to a low priority of future involvement. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Interagency Radiation Research Committee | The Interagency Radiation Research Committee should, because of limited funding, ensure that epidemiological studies involving primarily low levels of ionizing radiation exposure are of sufficient scientific merit to justify the costs of long-term follow-up efforts. |
Closed – Not Implemented
No interagency committee has ever been formed.
|
| Interagency Radiation Research Committee | The Interagency Radiation Research Committee should ensure that the cognizant federal agencies continue to conduct epidemiological studies of groups, such as the Japanese atom bomb survivors, the uranium miners, and the radium dial painters, that offer large numbers of people and a range of radiation exposure doses. |
Closed – Not Implemented
No interagency committee has ever been formed.
|
| Interagency Radiation Research Committee | The Interagency Radiation Research Committee should ensure that the cognizant federal agencies continue to conduct a limited number of high-quality animal experiments, including those analyzing the metabolism and toxicity of radionuclides in beagle dogs and small-scale experiments to investigate radiation mechanisms. |
Closed – Not Implemented
No interagency committee has ever been formed.
|
| Interagency Radiation Research Committee | The Interagency Radiation Research Committee should consider carefully and initiate actions to implement recommendations in the June 1979 report of the Interagency Task Force, in particular: (1) encourage expansion in the number of scientists and institutions performing the research, and ensure that scientists of high quality are funded, (2) have the National Institute of Health and other agencies provide more of the fiscal support for the national laboratories, thereby giving them more access to the laboratories, and (3) ensure that a diversity of federal agencies continue to fund research, particularly in high priority research areas. |
Closed – Not Implemented
No interagency committee has ever been formed.
|
| Interagency Radiation Research Committee | The Interagency Radiation Research Committee should ensure, in research on ionizing radiation exposure, that increased priority and emphasis are given to studying the mechanisms of how radiation causes cancer, through molecular and cellular studies and other fundamental research. |
Closed – Not Implemented
No interagency committee has ever been formed.
|
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