Slide1: RAYS OF RISK: AIR TRAVEL AND RADIATION EXPOSURE FARROL KAHN, DIRECTOR AVIATION HEALTH INSTITUTE The 22nd Annual International Aircraft Cabin Safety Symposium February 16 2005


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute INTRODUCTION The Aviation Health Institute is a medical research charity that: Promotes passenger health world-wide Researches links between flying and health Provides education and prevention programmes


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute The main issues we are concerned with: DVT Air Quality Inflight - Disease transmission Cosmic Radiation Leakage of Organo-phosphates Inflight Medical Incidents


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute EU Directive/Euratom 96/29 * Log hours spent by cabin crew and pilots in the air * Pregnant women reduce limit exposure to 1 millisieverts (mSv) or equivalent to about 200 flying hours. US Radiation Protection Guidance for Occupational Exposure 52 (17) Fed Reg 2822 – 2834 (1987) * Occupationally exposed individuals instructed on possible health effects.


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute Epidemiological Studies Mortality from cancer and other causes among Airline Cabin Attendants in Europe (2003) Zeeb H et al Am. J Epidemiol. 158-35-46 - 44,000 cabin crew - Female crew * All cancer mortality slightly reduced * Breast cancer slightly increased - Male crew * Increased skin cancer melanoma * AIDS Shortcomings: Information lack of detailed exposure, high mobility


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute Mortality from cancer and other causes among male airline cockpit crew in Europe (2003) Blettner M et al. Int. J Cancer 106 946-952 - 28,000 cockpit crew Increased risk from malignant melanoma Shortcomings: Robust group and information lack on lifestyle


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute Other Studies Cancer incidence in California flight attendants (2002) Reynolds P et al. Cancer Causes & Control 13 317-324 * Breast Cancer – 30% higher than general population * 1988-1995 – 129 newly diagnosed cases. Among Civil Aviation Cockpit Crews conducted in North America, Japan & Europe * Melanoma * Risk increases for cancers of the brain, large bowel, prostate and leukaemia


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute Counter-Measures Education Mix long-haul & short-haul flight schedules Take regular doses of anti-oxidants Drink Cabernet Savignon. Enoviton stimulates body to eliminate harmful substances Log amount of cosmic radiation through FAA CARI- 6M cami-jccbi.gov/radiation.html Equatorial routes have half radiation of polar routes.


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute Radiation Risks Dosage is accumulative Risks are low A crew member worked 700 block hours a year for 25 years – NY to Chicago – Radiation dose 68 millisieverts (mSv) Lifetime risk of fatal cancer is 1 in 360. In general population, 24% of all adult deaths were from cancer.


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute Table 1 Effective Dose of Galactic Cosmic Received on Air Carrier Flights as Calculated with CARI-6 * The block hours begin when the aircraft leaves the blocks before takeoff and end when it reaches the blocks after landing. ± 45-year average effective flight-dose, January 1958 through December 2002. + Column 6 = Column 5/Column 4 Longhaul exposure 5 µSv/hour. Shorthaul 2-3 µSv/hour Source: DOT/FAA 1 Sievert (S) = 1000 millisieverts (mSv). 1 millisievert (mSv) = 1000 microsieverts (µSv)


Aviation Health Institute: Aviation Health Institute Director: Farrol Kahn Medical Director: Professor Nicholas Peters, Imperial College, London Web site: http:\\www.aviation-health.org Telephone: 01865 715999 - Fax: 01865 715899 E-mail: fkahn@aviation-health.org Address: 17C Between Towns Road, Oxford, OX4 3LX CONTACT INFORMATION