People in Ireland receive a higher dose of radiation than the average European due to exposure to radon, a major cause of lung cancer, a new study has found. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) today published a new assessment of the average radiation doses received by the Irish population. The ‘Ionising Radiation – National Dose Report’ assessed the radiation exposure over the last five years received from air, medical exposures, environmental exposures and diet. Up to 350 new cases of lung cancer in Ireland can be attributed to exposure to radon each year. As part of the assessment, HIQA reviewed radiation exposure to patients, finding that the average amount of radiation from medical exposure has decreased.

Source: Irish Independent June 25, 2024 12:22 UTC