- Current COMARE Work Programme
- Dates of Future Meetings
- Agendas and Minutes of Previous Meetings
- Annual Report
Current COMARE Work Programme (2013)
COMARE PUBLICATIONS IN PROGRESS:
Childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of Sellafield and Dounreay
COMARE will be kept up to date on the surveillance and review of the incidence of childhood leukaemia and other cancers in the vicinity of Sellafield and of Dounreay, in accordance with recommendation 5 of the 11th report. A subgroup has been established to review the current update on this work, commissioned by the Department of Health. It is anticipated that this review will be published as a COMARE report.
Radiation Dose
COMARE has been asked by the Department of Health to produce advice on issues concerning radiation doses from CT scanners in the UK. A subcommittee has been established to respond to this request. It is anticipated that this advice will be published as a report from COMARE. A secondary request was made concerning the radiation doses from interventional radiology. This will be investigated separately, on the completion of the CT radiation dose report.
The subcommittee held its third meeting on 22nd November 2012.
WORKING GROUPS:
Contaminations
It was agreed to combine the two current working groups (Sellafield & Dounreay) into a single group that would cover Sellafield, Dounreay and Dalgety Bay, and any other sites that the committee was made aware of. This would allow a consistency in the committee’s approach in all situations, allowing cases of radioactive contamination to be treated in the same manner.
The working group held its first meeting on 3rd July 2012.
Authorisations
COMARE has a standing commitment to advise on authorised discharges of radioactive materials as and when new or revised authorisations are produced. The Authorisation Working Group (AWG) advises on draft authorisations and keeps the full committee aware of its proceedings.
REQUESTS FOR ADVICE:
Sun exposure and Vitamin D
COMARE has been asked to produce a statement for the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition as part of their review of vitamin D. COMARE will consider the risks associated with sun exposure, based on data provided by the Health Protection Agency.
Dalgety Bay
COMARE has been asked by Scottish Government to provide a report on cancer incidence in the area around Dalgety Bay. This report is expected later this year. The SG asked COMARE to provide an interim report and this has been published by SG at:
ADDITIONAL ITEMS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE:
Radon
COMARE will be kept aware of the progress of the policy on "Radon in homes". Any new epidemiological or dosimetric data will be brought to the attention of the committee so it may consider the current risk estimates from radon in the home in the light of these new data.
Electromagnetic Fields
COMARE will be kept up to date on studies of the possible health effects of electro-magnetic fields. The Secretariat will bring appropriate information before the committee, as it becomes available. Given the current public and political interest in this area, updates on the current situation will be given at appropriate meetings. The last update was given by the HPA at the October 2012 meeting.
SAHSU
COMARE has a standing commitment to consider any epidemiology studies involving radiation issues reported by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU). No SAHSU reports on radiation issues were received in 2012.
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