Risks and Effects of Radiation: Putting Fukushima in Context

The Health Physics Society (HPS) strongly influenced media coverage regarding the anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear incident. The HPS convened a panel of leading scientific experts on radiation safety at the National Press Club (NPC) in Washington, DC, on 1 March 2012 for the benefit of invited media personnel. As the world remembered the one-year anniversary of the 2011 tsunami that devastated Japan and set off a tragic chain of events that included the nuclear reactor incident in Fukushima, the panel of leading scientific and medical experts reported on the risks and effects of radiation on the Japanese and other populations.

Two members of the distinguished panel provided a first-hand account of the impacts on the Fukushima population. The discussions included the health effects of radiation immediately following the event to present day and an analysis of future risks for the population. The panel included John Boice, ScD; Robert Emery, DrPH, CHP, CIH; Robert Peter Gale, MD, PhD, DS. (Hon); Kathryn Higley, PhD, CHP; and Richard Vetter, PhD, CHP. Howard Dickson, CHP, CSP, and CIH moderated the panel.