Society News Archive
13 April 1999
For years, quantifying health effects associated with exposure to low-levels of radiation has been a center of controversy and interest to the radiation protection community in general and to members of the Health Physics Society in particular. As a result of an extensive effort by key technical experts in the American Nuclear Society (ANS), the ANS has issued a position paper on "Health Effects of Low-Level Radiation". The paper presents the position of the ANS that there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of a linear no-threshold hypothesis in estimating health effects associated with low-level radiation exposure. Recommendations are presented with regard to future actions and research needed to determine effects on current radiation protection guidelines and to resolve associated controversies. This position paper can be accessed at the ANS website.