Session 3B, Working Group 4 Chairman D Beninson
Discussion of the Radiological Consequences of the Accident
This subject was intended to include plume-formation, aerosol dispersion, environmental effects, dose-assessment and health effects.
The Working Party proceeded by considering composite questions compiled by the IAEA expert panel from the questions submitted by delegates. Participants included Dr Gale (USA) who visited Moscow during the crisis. There was detailed technical discussion on the biological and medical aspects. They will be covered and as far as possible summed up in the report of the Chairman of the Working Group to the final Plenary Session. Particular topics were as follows:
1. Methods of assessing doses to the skin.
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Any complications where there are both radiation burns and thermal burns on the skin.
The merits and demerits of using chromosome analysis in addition to physical dose measurements.
Where more is now known about average lethal dose and whether such information is in practice valuable in making clinical judgements.
Whether psychological effects had complicated treatment (they did not).
Contributions which can and cannot be made by using bone marrow transplant treatment.
The side-effects of taking stable iodine in order to block the thyroid (there were few).
A long discussion on the prospects for an epidemiological study in the USSR to follow up the Chernobyl data.
Professor Ilyin, leading for the Soviet delegation, said that work had begun on considering the setting up of such a study but that he was pessimistic about the many difficulties that could arise in carrying out epidemiological studies. Several delegates, notably from the UK, urged the importance of carrying out the most effective study which could be managed whatever the problems and said that the 'UK would supply such methodology information as was available'.
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