Presented by  Radiation Risk: Facts and Fictions
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 |
View the Webinar Recording |
With increased attention being focused on a variety of radiation issues, a plethora of regulatory and legal discussions and litigation has arisen surrounding uses and fears of ionizing radiation. Driving this increased scrutiny is a keen public interest in all radiation-related issues, including nuclear power as an alternative to global warming caused by fossil fuels, the cost of DOE nuclear waste cleanup, the rapidly increasing use of radiation in medical applications, or individual personal injury claims.
This public attention on radiation-related issues has focused on everything from the challenges associated with nuclear power generation to litigation of personal injury and environmental class action suits. Many of these legal actions are based not only on misunderstandings by the public, but also on scientific misrepresentation of actual health risks.
To address these issues and more, this webinar will:
- Discuss a number of new and updated epidemiological studies, as well as results from basic laboratory research, all directed at resolving areas of uncertainty in our understanding of radiation risks. The major findings and changes in risk estimation of practical importance in these studies and commissions will be examined.
- Discuss the public’s concern regarding environmental and occupational radiation risks, the considerable body of litigation that this concern has spawned, and how careful dose reconstruction and epidemiological evaluation can resolve these issues. Examples discussed will include NORM contamination in the petroleum industry and other more traditional exposures that involve complicated risk issues.
- Discuss issues of public concern regarding power reactor licensing and power upgrades resulting in legal challenges alleging potential harm based on the reported increased leukemia cases observed among young children residing in close proximity to power reactors. Alternative explanations of how this occurs, the need for bio-dosimetry of exposure using traditional cytogenetics and newer assays for alterations in gene expression will be examined.
Environmental and toxic tort attorneys, counsel for utilities and nuclear plant operators, medical device manufacturers, and others will benefit from the topics discussed and conclusions reached during this timely webinar.
Speakers:
David G. Hoel, Ph.D.
Principal Scientist, Center for Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Computational Biology
Dr. Hoel has more than 40 years of experience in the fields of epidemiology, statistics, and risk analysis. He is especially active in the area of radiation risk assessment, and has expertise in asbestos and chemicals.
Elizabeth L. Anderson, Ph.D., FATS
Group Vice President, Health
Dr. Anderson specializes in risk assessment as a basis for addressing the complex problems related to public health and the environment for national and international companies and governments.
Suresh H. Moolgavkar, M.D., Ph.D.
Corporate Vice President and Director of the Center for Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Computational Biology
Dr. Moolgavkar has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of epidemiology, biostatistics, and quantitative risk assessment and is internationally known for his work in developing mechanistically based dose-response models for carcinogenesis.