International Commission on Radiological Protection Committee 1: current status and future directions

Abstract

Commission 1 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection considers the risk of induction of cancer and heritable disease (stochastic effects) together with the underlying mechanisms of radiation action. Committee 1 also considers the risks, severity, and mechanisms of induction of tissue/organ damage and developmental defects (deterministic effects). The Committee was significantly revamped in 2013 and last met in Abu Dhabi in October 2013. Committee 1 evaluated progress on two ongoing task groups: Task Group 64 ‘Cancer Risk from Alpha Emitters’ and Task Group 75 ‘Stem Cell Radiobiology’. Following approval from the Main Commission, Committee 1 established two new task groups: Task Group 91 ‘Radiation Risk Inference at Low Dose and Low Dose Rate Exposure for Radiological Protection Purposes’ and Task Group 92 ‘Terminology and Definitions’. This article presents a synopsis of the current status of Committee 1 and outlines the tasks that Committee 1 may undertake in the future.