New study links childhood leukaemia to nuclear power plant radiation

[Ichingcarpenter]

The UK government's scientific advisory group found no link between childhood leukaemia and proximity to nuclear power plants, but German and French research has found an alarming doubling of risk. Matilda Lee reports
In the latest development in the debate over to what extent there is a link between childhood leukaemia and radiation from nuclear power plants, a French study has found a doubling in the incidence of the disease among children under 5 living within 5-kilometre radius of a nuclear plant.

The study, conducted by the Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (INSERM) and reported in the International Journal on Cancer in January 2012, looked at child leukaemia cases nationwide diagnosed between 2002 and 2007, with addresses coded around 19 nuclear power plants. It demonstrated a stastically signficant doubling of the incidence of leukaemia childhood near nuclear power plants.

The French study confirms an earlier German study, known as the KiKK, which found a doubling of the incidence of child leukaemia near nuclear power plants, and an increased risk of 60 per cent for all childhood cancers. The KiKK findings were confirmed by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection.


http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/1235795/new_study_links_childhood_leukaemia_to_nuclear_power_plant_radiation.html

[wtmusic]

1. I wonder if anyone who reports on these studies actually reads them.

This study (which seems to be very thorough) doesn't arrive at conclusions anywhere near those dreamed up by "The Ecologist":

"Overall, the estimated doses due to NPPs (nuclear power plant) were very low compared to the doses due to natural radiation sources. Such doses are not expected to result in an observable excess risk on the basis of the available evidence41."

"Overall, the results suggest a possible excess risk of AL (childhood acute leukemia) in the close vicinity of French NPPs in 2002-2007. The absence of any association with the DBGZ (dose-based geographic zoning) may indicate that the association is not explained by NPP gaseous discharges."

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.27425/pdf

[FBaggins]

2. "doesn't arrive at conclusions anywhere near those dreamed up by 'The Ecologist'"

That's ok... neither do the other studies they referenced in the article.

[Dead_Parrot]

3. Dammit, you can't just go reading the actual study.

You might learn something, and then where would we be?