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Harms from the use of the LNT model

 

The use of the LNT model led to

  • considerable concerns regarding even very low levels of radiation

 

Consequences:

  • adverse effect on public health because LNT model discouraged/blocked study of low-dose radiation for the prevention and treatment of major and currently intractable diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and cancer, though evidence supports its consideration for such diseases

Figure legend:

LNT model Prediction - Using BEIR VII Report (NRC, 2006)

Taiwan - Residents of radio-contaminated apartments in Taiwan (Hwang, 2006)

NSWS - Radiation workers in Nuclear Shipyard Worker Study (Sponsler, 2005) 

British Radiologists - British Radiologists who entered service during the period 1955-1979 (Berrington, 2001)

Mayak - Evacuated residents of villages near Mayak Nulcear Weapons Facility (Kostyuchenko, 1994)

Significant reduction of cancers observed following low-dose radiation exposure, but could not be investigated because of the LNT model

Not much progress in the war on cancer in 50 years

  • considerable casualties, tremendous economic loss, and disruption of normal life due to precautionary evacuations following nuclear accidents, e.g. in Fukushima, but no benefit.

Relief Efforts by The U.S. Army is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Evacuation Imminent by Irish Typepad is licensed under CC BY 2.0

  • harm to patients due to misdiagnoses/missed diagnoses because of patients/parents refusal of diagnostic studies and doctors not prescribing diagnostic studies, and non-diagnostic imaging studies performed due to misguided dose-reduction efforts. 

 

Reproduced, with permission, from: Goske M J, Strauss K J, Coombs L P, et al. Diagnostic reference ranges for pediatric abdominal CT. Radiology 2013;268:208-218.  Copyright by RSNA.

  • increased power generation costs due to ratcheting up of radiation safety regulations for nuclear power plants

Note: LNT model, ALARA, and low-dose radiation concerns as well as other factors contributed to the observed increased costs over the years.

 

 

  • barriers to development of underdeveloped countries as low-dose radiation concerns have suppressed development of nuclear power in spite of it being the cheapest, safest, least-polluting mode of energy generation. Lack of power is a major constraint for development. 

 

Some headlines regarding power cuts related to lack of adequate power generation

 

10 THINGS INDIANS DO DURING POWER CUTS

Is this the world's biggest power cut? Chaos strikes for a second day running as over 600 million people endure blackout in India

Countrywide blackout in Pakistan triggers coup fears

Power outages have negative impact on Indian economy: Moody's

Power Cut in India

Candle Light  by Hrishikesh Premkumar licensed under CC BY 2.0

Coal Pollution in China

Considering the major harms caused by the use of the LNT Model, there would indeed be major potential benefits from discarding the LNT model:

Next section: Benefits from discarding the LNT model

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