2010 Annual Meeting of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements: "Communicati

Online, October 16, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Effective communication about the benefits and risks of radiation has become an increasingly important aspect of making and implementing decisions on radiation health protection in government, medicine, industry, research laboratories, and academia. The primary goal of the 2010 NCRP Annual Meeting will be to examine key issues, current controversies, and new tools and findings related to radiation risk communication.

Topics to be featured at the meeting include: (1) concepts and examples of effective risk communication today and in historical perspective, (2) the role of new tools and media as efficient vehicles for radiation risk communication, (3) communication issues and challenges posed by potential acts of nuclear and radiological terrorism and radiation emergencies, (4) communicating benefits and risks of medical applications of radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of disease, and (5) mechanisms and examples of effective communications in decision making related to protection of human health and the environment. Central to the theme of the meeting will be the engagement of all relevant stakeholders in the process of reaching decisions involving radiation protection, which is essential for achieving sustainability of the decisions.

The meeting will also feature the Seventh Annual Warren K. Sinclair Keynote Address by Dr. Vincent Covello on Effective Risk Communication Before, During and After a Radiological Emergency: Challenges, Guidelines, Strategies and Tools. The 34th Annual Lauriston S. Taylor Lecture will be presented by Dr. Charles Land on Radiation Protection in an Uncertain World.