Letter: Highly doubtful any nuclear workers suffered a life-threatening illness from radiation exposure

Authors of the recent series of radiation-fear articles published by the McClatchy chain have made some serious errors in the conclusions they imply. The implication that more than 33,000 former nuclear workers have died of exposure to radiation is patently absurd.

Such errors regarding cancers from radiation are obvious when the record of nuclear complex workers is compared to that of the public. The authors failed to make such a comparison. It is incorrect to conclude that by compensating thousands the federal government certifies that those workers were injured in their workplace. To the contrary, awards made result from language in legislation passed by a Congress acutely attuned to the concerns of its electorate, but woefully misinformed scientifically on radiation and its effects.

It is expected that a few nuclear workers will suffer severe illnesses on the job, but it is highly doubtful that any suffered a life-threatening illness from radiation exposure. At the relatively low levels of radiation experienced by this “cohort” of nuclear workers, there is simply no way for a competent physician to attribute illness to occupational radiation. Radiation health professionals know that radiation is a very weak carcinogen. Obviously, most folks outside those professions do not.

This story was originally published February 7, 2016 at 5:41 PM with the headline "Letter: Highly doubtful any nuclear workers suffered a life-threatening illness from radiation exposure."