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Symposium on Radiation and Health
Program Details

A two day symposium examining profound new discoveries on the effects of radiation on human health is planned for September 26th and 27th to be held at the Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, New York. There will be a reception on the evening of Saturday, the 26th.

Two days of papers by respected epidemiologists, physicians and scientists will summarize the recent literature on radiation and its biological implications with specific reference to medicine, the nuclear power and nuclear weapons industries. This promises to be an important medical event because this new data on low-level radiation is making obsolete the radiation standards derived from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki studies.


From the brochure:

"The controversies surrounding debates about low-level radiation's effects on human health are long-standing and unresolved. Standard-setting bodies have lowered recommended radiation protection standards over a half dozen times since they were first established over 70 years ago, as new data and new interpretations have called into question the standards formerly perceived as "safe."

"This conference assembles those in the forefront of these debates, with representation from health physics, epidemiology, the nuclear industry, medicine, the activist community, and more.

" Recent data on low level radiation is making obsolete the radiation standards derived from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Studies. This conference will address the medical and biological implications of this latest scientific literature on low level radiation and the ramifications for the nuclear industry. With a forum for open debate and discussion, we hope to move toward some resolution of the current regulatory dilemma. Above all, we hope to learn from each other."

Speakers in order of appearance and the title of their presentation:

Saturday, 9/26

  • Dr. Donald Luria, M.D., Dept. of Preventative Medicine and Community Health, New Jersey Medical School. "Potential Medical Consequences of Food Irradiation."
  • Dr. Alice Stewart, M.D., FRCP, Dept of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Birmingham, "A-Bomb Survivors: Reassessment of the Radiation Hazard."
  • Dr. Hal Morganstern, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, "Report of the Rocketdyne/Atomic Workers, Incidence of Maligancies."
  • Eric Wright, Medical Research Council at Harwell, Oxfordshire, "Low-Dose Radiation and Genetic Damage."
  • Dr. Steve Wing, PhD and Dr. David Richardson, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, UNC Chapel Hill, "Radiation and Mortality among Department of Energy workers, with particular reference to current standards."

    (panel discussion)

  • Carrie Clark, Doctoral candidate in History, SUNY Stony Brook, "Historical Perspectives on the Nuclear Weapons and Power Industries with particular reference to radiation exposures."
  • Jack Fix, Epidemiologist, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, "Dosimetry Program at Hanford, Radiation Standards, and National Radiation Registry."
  • Dr. Greg Wilkinson, Professor of Epidemiology, University of Buffalo, "Mutagenic and Carcinogenic Effects of Alpha Radiation."
  • Dr. Otto Raabe, President, Health Physics Society, Institute of Toxicology and Environmental Health, "Three Dimensional Models of Radiation Risk."
  • Dr. Richard Clapp, PhD, Associate Professor, Environmental Health, Boston University, School of Public Health, Environmental Health Division, "Incidence of Malignance in Populations adjacent to the Pilgrim Nuclear Reactor."
  • Dr. Myron Pollycove, MD, Professor Emeritus of Laboratory Medicine and Radiology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco; Visiting Fellow, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Molecular Biology, Epidemiology, and Low-dose Radiation."
  • Tony Mazzochi, Presidential Ass't, Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union.
  • Thurman Wenzl, Research Industrial Hygenist, NIOSH, "Possible Impacts of recent Radiation Research on Adequacy of Standards and Guidelines."

    (panel discussions)

    Evening Dinner

Sunday, 9/27

  • Dr. Helen Caldicott, MD, President Emeritus, Physicians for Social Responsibility, "Fallout Studies."
  • Dr, Arjun Makhijani, PhD, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, "Environmental Effects of Nuclear Weapons Production and Testing."
  • Bernie Goldstein, Director, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, "CRESP: A Stakeholder based Approach to Risk Assessment for Radionuclide Contamination at DOE Sites."
  • Dr. Marvin Resnikoff, PhD, Senior Associate, Radioactive Waste Management Associates, "Mobile Chernobyl, Casks Temperatures, Volability, and Isotopes."
  • Steve Frishman, Geologist, Technical Policy Coordinator, Nevada Agency on Nuclear Projects, "Political and Technical Strategies re: Yucca Mountain."
  • Don Hancock, Director, Nuclear Waste Safety Program, Southwest Research and Information Institute, Albuquerque, "Carlsbad and Transuranic Wastes."
  • Diane D'Arrigo, NIRS, "Below Regulatory Concern and Radioactive Metal Recycling."
  • Mary Olsen, NIRS, "MOX Fuel and Food Irradiation."

    (panel discussion)

  • William Arkin, Consultant to NRDC "Post Cold War Nuclear Weapons, Stewardship, and Counterproliferation."
  • Jonathan Schell, Author, Fate of the Earth, "The Case for Abolition."
  • Admiral Gene Carroll, USN, Ret., Deputy Director, Center for Defense Information, "The Military Route to Abolition of Nuclear Weapons."
  • Dr. Helen Caldicott, MD, President Emeritus, PSR, Summary and Closing.

    • Possible Sunday additions:

  • Dr. William Reid, MD, Oak Ridge;
  • Dr. Asaf Duracovic, MD, PhD, FACP


    • Recent literature places in doubt present standards for allowable worker and public radiation exposure, which may be 6 to 12 times too high. The ramifications for nuclear power and weapons industries are enormous.

    A sponsor of the event is the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the New Jersey Medical School. The symposium has been organized by a group called "Standing for Truth About Radiation," (STAR), which is based on Long Island in New York. STAR's Vice-President is Helen Caldicott, M.D., the Founding President of Physicians for Social Responsibility, the group that organized the original symposia on the Medical Consequences of Nuclear War in the 1980s.

    The symposium will provide a forum for open debate and discussion and possibly some resolution of the current regulatory dilemma.

    Continuing Medical Education credit will also be offered.

    For registration information, please contact:

    The STAR Foundation,
    (STAR="Standing for Truth About Radiation")
    P.O. Box 4206,
    East Hampton,
    NY 11937;
    Phone: 516.324.0655
    Fax: 516.324.2203

    Jonathan Parfrey, Executive Director
    Physicians for Social Responsibility, Los Angeles
    1316 Third Street Promenade, Suite B1
    Santa Monica, California 90401-1325
    Phone: 310.458.2694
    Fax: 310.458.7925
    psrsm@psr.org



    Dear friends with radiation health interests:

    I wanted to spread the word about a medical symposium to be held September 26 & 27, 1998 in New York City. To attend this is a fairly expensive proposition, with $100 (non MDs) for registration, as well as travel and lodging and meals in NYC, but if you can manage it, it will be well worth attending. Dr. Bill Reid from Oak Ridge will be speaking as a physician who has treated radiation and chemical damaged patients; other wonderful scientists and MDs are expected too.

    It is approved for up to 12.5 CME credits as well.

    It will be held at the New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 11937; sponsored by STAR and the Foundation for Better Health Care.

    I have been told by Dr. Caldicott that one of the sponsoring groups (STAR: Standing for the Truth About Radiation) has little to no funds for subsidizing travel.

    It may be worth emailing or calling to check that. Please contact: Carrie Clark, carrie@noradiation.org; phone: 516-324-0655; fax: 516: 324-2203.

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    This page was last revised 9/5/98 12:27:52 PM by The NoFlyby Webmaster

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