International Cooperation in Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness: Establishment of a Medical Network in Asia

Abstract

Although accidents of radiation exposure fortunately occur only rarely, potential sources for exposure accidents can be found anywhere. When persons are accidentally exposed to ionizing radiation, physicians in medical practice may be involved in their immediate assessment and care; of course, their early diagnosis and dose assessment are crucial. Ionizing radiation cannot be seen by the human eye, nor smelled, heard, or otherwise detected by our normal senses, nor do symptoms/signs appear soon after radiation exposure. Moreover, these symptoms/signs are not specific for the exposure. Thus, radiation exposure is a highly emotional subject, causing widespread public concern, and the psychological aspects of radiation accidents also require attention. On the other hand, the experience gained in the medical care of recent radiation accident patients has enabled us to develop new assessment and treatment modalities and has provided more information about complications and the numerous problems yet to be solved. The knowledge of triage, assessment, initial diagnostic methods, and general treatment protocols has to be shared among medical professionals throughout the world. Human error and inadequate control or regulation of radiation sources can result in significant exposure among workers and the general public. However, one of the problems is that there are few chances to obtain this knowledge, especially in the Asian region, and not every country has developed capabilities for responding to radiation emergencies. Moreover, new concerns regarding emergency response against the threat of malicious acts require international/regional networks. As the practice of medicine is based on science as well as past experiences, a system for exchanging and sharing information on radiation accidents needs to be established for a smooth medical response anywhere in the Asian region. The National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) has introduced international training courses for medical professionals in Asia, on the basis that previous efforts have proved that international cooperation is effective.