Expert Group on the Public Health Perspective in Radiological Protection (EGPH)
Ongoing

Although protecting public health is clearly the objective of the NEA Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health (CRPPH), it appears that there is an increasing trend to take a broad overview when considering public health risks. Objectives and priorities may be addressed differently when viewed from a social, public health perspective rather than from a radiological protection scientific perspective. In this sense, there is value in considering how a more "public health perspective" might influence radiological protection in general, as well as the work of the CRPPH.

The NEA Expert Group on the Public Health Perspective in Radiological Protection (EGPH) was created to explore this field. At its first meeting expert group members identified a range of areas that could be explored and decided to organise a workshop on radiological protection from a public health objective in 2009. In order to prepare for this workshop, the EGPH will prepare a series of case studies on the following subjects:

  • radon exposure;
  • justifying medical exposures;
  • public health judgement and decision making based on new scientific evidence; and
  • managing individual differences (age, gender, genetic susceptibility).

The case studies will be used to support preparations for the 2009 workshop.