President’s Annual Message

2022 Year in Review

As I write this message, the NCRP staff are working hard to finalize logistical arrangements for the 2023 Annual Meeting, to be held in person in Bethesda in late March. The Program Committee has organized a wonderful, informative meeting on “Integration of Physics, Biology and Epidemiology in Radiation Risk Assessment” (more below), and we are all eager to see everyone at our first in-person meeting since 2019.

NCRP continues to face challenges as well as have significant accomplishments. After the COVID mediated unique years of 2020 and 2021, we started to get somewhat back to “normal” in the second half of 2022. We have had a few NCRP committee meetings in person, but everyone has become accustomed to virtual meetings, and there can be significant time and financial savings associated with those. I expect that, going forward, we will have virtual meetings of most scientific and administrative committees that are unfunded or have limited funding, with rarer in-person meetings, as needed. Our scientific committees (SCs) that have funding for in-person meetings can get back to having some in-person meetings, which can be important to further work of the SCs as well as help our finances.

Highlights of 2022:

An important change this year was the move of our NCRP office in late October from Suite 400 to Suite 905 in the Landow Building. Many thanks go to Laura Atwell, Myrna Young, and Beverly Ottman, our ever-dependable office staff, for the tremendous job they did planning and implementing the move and challenging downsizing. The new space is lovely and efficient. We decreased our office space by about 35 % and the rent by about 45 %, for a savings of about $5,500/month, backdated to July. The move itself cost us about $12,000, so we realized a nice savings in 2022 and will do even better in 2023, important given the tight budget.
As always, a high point of the NCRP year was the highly successful Annual Meeting held virtually in late March 2022. Due to the hard work of Jessica S. Wieder and Evagelia C. Laiakis, Program Co-Chairs, and their Program Committee, the well-attended meeting (about 350 registrants) had cutting edge presentations on “Opportunities in Radiation Science: From Low Dose to Climate Change,” and the online access for all went smoothly thanks to A Meeting By Design (AMBD), who handled the IT side of the meeting. It was a really outstanding meeting, and many thanks go to all involved in its planning and conduct.
One of the major goals I had when I became NCRP President was to decrease the backlog of publications from SCs that existed at that time. That backlog now is largely gone, with only one of the currently existing SCs having started before I became President. The hard work of all the Council and committee members, especially the chairs of the relevant SCs, is greatly appreciated.
We received new funding in 2022 from the American Board of Radiology (ABR) Foundation, to support SC 4-13, and we had continuing funding from numerous federal agencies and other organizations to support the various committees of NCRP and the Million Person Study (MPS). These include (in alphabetical order) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the U.S. Navy (more info on funding below).
One NCRP report, two commentaries, and two statements were published in 2022. Descriptions of those NCRP publications are further down in this Message. In addition, eight published papers described work of NCRP or the MPS, and a special issue of the International Journal of Radiation Biology on the MPS contained 24 papers. At least 23 presentations about the work of NCRP, including MPS efforts funded through NCRP, were made at various venues by NCRP officers, chairs/members of program area committees (PACs) and SCs and others involved in the projects. In all, it has been a highly productive year.
We currently have nine active committees, including two new SCs and a task group (TG) that were initiated in 2022 (fuller descriptions below):
– SC 1-28, “Recommendations on Statistical Approaches to Account for Dose Uncertainties in Radiation Epidemiologic Risk Models” (Co-Chairs: Jonine L. Bernstein and Harry M. Cullings), to prepare a commentary.
– SC 4-13, “Patient Shielding in Medical Imaging” (Chair: Rebecca Milman), to prepare a commentary.
– TG 4-9 “Task Group for Medical Exposure Assessment in the U.S. Patient Population” (Chair: Jennifer G. Elee), joint with CRCPD.
In May 2021, we held the first Welcome Webinar for new Council Members, and we repeated that successful endeavor in May 2022. Since we didn’t have an in-person annual meeting either year, this was a time to welcome our newly-elected members, introduce them to each other and to several senior members of Council, and to explain more about NCRP. We look forward to doing it in person at the 2023 Annual Meeting.
Another relatively new initiative is internship and mentoring efforts. We are continuing to expand that effort to get more junior radiation professionals involved with NCRP.
The awardee selected to receive the 3rd John D. Boice Young Investigator Award at the 2023 Annual Meeting is Dr. Michael B. Bellamy, who works at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (more info see: https://ncrponline.org). Congratulations to Michael!

NCRP Publications Completed in 2022:

We are grateful to the members of our SCs who spend many, many hours producing high quality NCRP publications. This year we published the following:

NCRP Commentary No. 31, Development of Kinetic and Anatomical Models for Brain Dosimetry for Internally Deposited Radionuclides, prepared by SC 6-12 (Chair: Richard W. Leggett; Vice-Chair: Sergei Y. Tolmachev), was published in February 2022. This Commentary, supported by grants from DOE, examines ways to improve current biokinetic and dosimetric modeling of the brain that may result in improved dose estimates for brain tissue from internally deposited radionuclides. The improvements are relevant to radiation protection, ongoing epidemiologic research aimed at evaluating cancer incidence, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cognitive impairment as possible adverse effects of radionuclide accumulation in the brain, and may also be relevant to possible adverse effects of space radiation in astronauts.
NCRP Statement No. 14, Instrument Response Verification and Calibration for Use in Radiation Emergencies, prepared by SC 3-2 (Co-Chairs: Gladys A. Klemic and Leticia S. Pibida), was issued in June 2022. Supported by CDC and CRCPD, this Statement provides recommendations for maintaining the readiness of radiation detection equipment for use in a large-scale nuclear or radiological emergency. This will be useful to municipal, county, and state entities having different levels of experience and focus, including fire services, law enforcement, emergency management, public health agencies, and hospitals.
NCRP Report No. 187, Operational Radiation Safety Program, prepared by SC 2-8 (Chair: Kathryn H. Pryor) and published in July 2022, provides basic guidance for all aspects of establishing and maintaining radiation safety programs across the spectrum of operational settings. An update of NCRP Report No. 127, the new Report incorporates the latest guidance from 21 NCRP documents published since Report No. 127. The Health Physics Society and American Academy of Health Physics provided partial support for preparation of this Report.
NCRP Statement No. 15, Respiratory Protection Recommendations for Workers and Volunteers Responding to a Nuclear Incident Outside the Affected Area, prepared by SC 3-3 (Co-Chairs: Armin Ansari and Adela Salame-Alfie), was issued in August 2022. This Statement, the preparation of which was supported by CDC, recommends a tiered approach for respiratory protection of workers and volunteers at public shelters, community reception centers, or other locations who will be providing services after a large-scale nuclear incident and may be at risk of an inhalation or incidental ingestion hazard generated by arrival and movement of potentially contaminated people.
NCRP Commentary No. 32, Evaluation of a Sex-Specific Difference in Lung Cancer Radiation Risk and Approaches for Improving Lung Cancer Radiation Risk Projection (with a Focus on Application to Space Activities), prepared by SC 1-27 (Chair: Michael M. Weil; Co-Chair: David J. Pawel), was published in December 2022. Funded by NASA and DOE, this project examines the risk of lung cancer in populations exposed particularly to chronic (protracted or fractionated) radiation. A main objective is to assess whether there is a sex-specific difference in lung cancer risk from chronic radiation exposure to the lungs such as experienced by astronauts during extended space missions.

Committees at Work:

SC 1-28, Recommendations on Statistical Approaches to Account for Dose Uncertainties in Radiation Epidemiologic Risk Models (Co-Chairs: Jonine L. Bernstein and Harry M. Cullings), was established this year with funding from DOE, to review current methods used to incorporate dose uncertainties into dose-response models; hold a workshop to hear from experts about the interpretation of the results of studies with complex dosimetric assessments and substantial dose uncertainties; and, as a result of discussions held at the workshop and other considerations by the Committee, prepare a commentary covering studies of external and internal exposures and provide guidance relative to both shared and unshared uncertainty in dose calculations and the statistical uncertainties therein.
SC 4-10, Error Prevention in Radiation Therapy (Co-Chairs: Steven G. Sutlief and Michael T. Milano), is preparing a statement to provide recommendations for internal and external audits of radiation therapy practices with respect to safety, quality and reliability. The SC had a useful virtual meeting with representatives of stakeholder organizations in January 2022 to get input from professional organizations, regulators, etc.; the statement draft was reviewed by PAC 4 in October and recently by the full Council with final document expected soon. The effort has received funding from CRCPD and FDA.
SC 4-12, Risk Management Stratification of Equipment and Training for Fluoroscopy (Chair: Stephen Balter; Vice Chair: Donald L. Miller), originally was planning to prepare a statement but, given the length and amount of material in the document, it has been decided to make it a commentary. The document will provide guidance that can be used by facilities to select fluoroscopic equipment that conforms to the appropriate International Electrotechnical Commission standard for the facility’s intended uses of that particular fluoroscope and to outline a risk-based training program for all individuals privileged to perform or assist with fluoroscopic procedures in a facility. This activity has been supported, in part, by CRCPD. The draft commentary is undergoing Council review.
SC 4-13, Patient Shielding in Medical Imaging (Chair: Rebecca Milman), started work in September. The goal is to prepare a commentary to provide updated recommendations, based on scientific evidence, on the use of patient shielding in medical imaging addressing both in-field and out-of-field shielding for various anatomical sites and tissues (e.g., thyroid, breast, gonads), various imaging examinations (e.g., dental x ray, radiography, mammography, computed tomography, and fluoroscopy), and age- and sexdependent considerations. The SC is funded, in part, by CDC and the ABR Foundation.
SC 6-13, Methods and Models for Estimating Organ Doses from Intakes of Radium (Chair: Derek W. Jokisch; Vice Chair: Nicole Martinez), is DOE-funded to prepare a commentary describing new and contemporary approaches for obtaining organ doses following intakes of radium. The work will meet several deliverables associated with the MPS. The SC is meeting regularly to prepare a draft document which should be ready for PAC review in the near future.
SC 8-1, NCRP Webpages on the Use of Wireless Technology and Evidence on Health Effects (Chair: David A. Savitz), funded by CDC, is a somewhat new, and exciting, type of activity for NCRP as the goal is to create authoritative, science-based, informational webpages that can serve as a primary resource to which CDC and other federal health agencies can refer members of the public seeking additional information about the use of wireless technology and its known health effects. The Committee has been drafting material, with the aim of having initial webpage information by later this year.
TG 4-9, Task Group for Medical Exposure Assessment in the U.S. Patient Population (Chair: Jennifer G. Elee), is a joint effort with CRCPD (their Task Force H-58) and funded by CDC, to plan follow-up on NCRP Report No. 184, Medical Radiation Exposure of Patients in the United States, prepared by SC 4-9. The group will determine the feasibility of ongoing collection of data and other information on medical exposures, in particular investing in knowledge transfer of the methodology that was used in Report No. 184. A workshop and virtual meeting have been held with more meetings scheduled, with the initial effort being a survey by CRCPD to go to state programs to gain information on data available.

Other Publications:

Chairs and members of NCRP SCs are encouraged to prepare papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals on the work of their SCs; such resulting articles are listed below. Also listed here are other papers related to NCRP work and papers published on the MPS work done through funding to NCRP.

Leggett RW, Tolmachev SY, Avtandilashvili M, Eckerman KF, Grogan HA, Sgouros G, Woloschak GE, Samuels C, Boice JD Jr. Methods of improving brain dose estimates for internally deposited radionuclides. J Radiol Prot. 42(3):033001, 2022. [PMID 35785774]
Boice JD Jr, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Golden AP, Howard S, Girardi DJ, Ellis ED, Bellamy M, Dauer LT, Eckerman KF, Leggett RW. Mortality among Tennessee Eastman Corporation uranium processing workers, 1943-2019. Int J Radiat Biol. 2022 Jun 27:1-21 [Online ahead of print] [PMID 35758985]
Boice JD Jr, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Howard SC, Yoder RC, Dauer LT. Mortality among medical radiation workers in the United States, 1965-2016. Int J Radiat Biol. 2022 May 16:1-25 [Online ahead of print] [PMID 34731066]
Zablotska LB, Richardson DB, Golden A, Pasqual E, Smith B, Rage E, Demers PA, Do M, Fenske N, Deffner V, Kreuzer M, Samet J, Bertke S, Kelly-Reif K, Schubauer-Berigan MK, Tomasek L, Wiggins C, Laurier D, Apostoaei I, Thomas BA, Simon SL, Hoffman FS, Boice JD Jr, Dauer LT, Howard SC, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Ellis ED, Eckerman KF, Leggett RW, Pawel DJ. The epidemiology of lung cancer following radiation exposure. Int J Radiat Biol. 2022, Aug 22:1-12. Online ahead of print. [PMID 35947399]
Schöllnberger H, Dauer LT, Wakeford R, Constanzo J, Golden A. Summary of Radiation Research Society Online 67th Annual Meeting, Symposium on “Radiation and Circulatory Effects.” Int J Radiat Biol. 2022. Aug 25:1-10 [Online ahead of print] [PMID 35930470]
Zablotska LB, Zupunski L, Leuraud K, Lopes J, Hinkle J, Pugeda T, Delgado T, Olschowka J, Williams J, O’Banion MK, Boice JD Jr, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Dauer LT, Britten RA, Stephenson S. Radiation and CNS effects: Summary of evidence from a recent symposium of the Radiation Research Society. Int J Radiol Biol. 2022 Nov 11:1-11. Online ahead of print. [PMID: 36318723]
Linet MS, Applegate KE, McCollough CH, Bailey JE, Bright C, Bushberg JT, Chanock SJ, Coleman J, Dalal NH, Dauer LT, Davis PB, Eagar RY, Frija G, Held KD, Kachnic LA, Kiess AP, Klein LW, Kosti O, Miller CW, Miller-Thomas MM, Straus C, Vapiwala N, Wieder JS, Yoo DC, Brink JA, Dalrymple JL. A multimedia strategy to integrate introductory broad-based radiation science education in US medical schools. J Am Coll Radiol. 2022 Sep 19:S1546-1440(22)00697-4. Online ahead of print. [PMID 36130692]
Mahesh M, Ansari AJ, Mettler FA. Patient Exposure from Radiologic and Nuclear Medicine Procedures in the United States and Worldwide: 2009-2018. Radiology 2022; 000:1-9 (online ahead of print).

International Journal of Radiation Biology Special Issue, April 2022 (24 articles on the MPS):

Boice JD Jr, Bouville A, Dauer LT, Golden AP, Wakeford R. Introduction to the Special Issue on the US Million Person Study of health effects from low-level exposure to radiation. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):529-532, 2022. [PMID 34612764]
Boice JD Jr, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Chen H, Golden AP, Beck HL, Till JE. Mortality among US military participants at eight aboveground nuclear weapons test series. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):679-700, 2022. [PMID 32602389]
Boice JD Jr, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Ellis ED. The Million Person Study, whence it came and why. Int J Radiat Biol. 98(4):537-550, 2022. [PMID 30831042]
Boice JD Jr, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Golden AP, Howard SC, Girardi DJ, Dupree Ellis ED, Bellamy M, Dauer LT, Samuels C, Eckerman KF, Leggett RW. Mortality among workers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1943-2017. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):722-749, 2022. [PMID 34047625]
Boice JD Jr, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Hagemeyer DA, Chen H, Golden AP, Yoder RC, Dauer LT. Mortality from leukemia, lung cancer and heart disease among U.S. nuclear power plant workers, 1957-2011. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):657-678, 2022. [PMID 34669562]
Boice JD Jr, Ellis ED, Golden AP, Zablotska LB, Mumma MT, Cohen SS. Sex-specific lung cancer risk among radiation workers in the Million Person Study and among TB-fluoroscopy patients. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):769-780, 2022. [PMID 30614747]
Boice JD Jr, Quinn B, Ansari A, Blake PK, Blattnig SR, Caffrey EA, Cohen SS, Golden AP, Held KD, Jokisch DW, Leggett RW, Mumma MT, Samuels C, Till JE, Tolmachev SY, Yoder RC, Zhou J, Dauer LT. A million persons, a million dreams: a vision for a National Center for Radiation Epidemiology and Biology. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):795-821, 2022. [PMID 34669549]
Boice JD Jr. The Million Person Study relevance to space exploration and Mars. Int J Radiat Biol. 98(4):551-559, 2022. [PMID 30831048]
Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Ellis ED, Boice JD Jr. Validating the use of census data on education as a measure of socioeconomic status in an occupational cohort. Int J Rad Biol 98(4):587-592, 2022. [PMID 30451561]
Dauer LT, Bouville A, Toohey RE, Boice JD Jr, Beck HL, Eckerman KF, Hagemeyer D, Leggett RW, Mumma MT, Napier B, Pryor KH, Rosenstein M, Schauer DA, Sherbini S, Stram DO, Thompson JL, Till JE, Yoder RC, Zeitlin C. Dosimetry and uncertainty approaches for the million-worker study of radiation workers and veterans: overview of the recommendations in NCRP Report No. 178. Review. Int J Rad Biol. 98(4):600-609, 2022. [PMID 30452303]
Dauer LT, Woods M, Miodownik D, Serencsits B, Quinn B, Bellamy M, Yoder C, Liang X, Boice JD Jr, Bernstein J. Cohort profile – MSK radiation workers: a feasibility study to establish a deceased worker sub-cohort as part of a multicenter medical radiation worker component in the Million Person Study of Low-Dose Radiation Health Effects. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):593-599, 2022. [PMID 30810447]
Ellis ED, Girardi D, Golden AP, Wallace PW, Phillips J, Cragle DL. Historical perspective on the Department of Energy mortality studies: Focus on the collection and storage of individual worker data. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):560-567, 2022. [PMID 30495982]
Golden AP, Cohen SS, Chen H, Ellis ED, Boice JD Jr. Evaluation of statistical modeling approaches for epidemiologic studies of low-dose radiation health effects. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):572-579, 2022. [PMID 30499762]
Golden AP, Ellis ED, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Leggett RW, Wallace PW, Girardi D, Watkins JP, Shore R, Boice JD Jr. Updated mortality analysis of the Mallinckrodt uranium processing workers, 1942-2012. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):701-721, 2022. [PMID 30652958]
Hagemeyer D, Nichols G, Mumma MT, Boice JD Jr, Brock TA. 50 years of the Radiation Exposure Information and Reporting System and importance to the Million Person Study. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):568-571, 2022. [PMID 30359149]
Leggett RW, Eckerman KF, Bellamy M. MPS dose reconstruction for internal emitters: some site-specific issues and approaches. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):631-643, 2022. [PMID 30561241]
Leggett RW, Tolmachev SY, Boice JD Jr. Potential improvements in brain dose estimates for internal emitters. Int J Rad Biol 98(4):644-656, 2022. [PMID 30513240]
Martinez NE, Jokisch DW, Dauer LT, Eckerman KF, Goans RE, Brockman JD, Tolmachev SY, Avtandilashvili M, Mumma MT, Boice JD Jr, Leggett RW. Radium dial workers: back to the future. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):750-768, 2022. [PMID 33900890]
Mumma MT, Cohen SS, Sirko JL, Ellis ED, Boice JD Jr. Obtaining vital status and cause of death on a million persons. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):580-586, 2022. [PMID 30412007]
Mumma MT, Sirko JL, Boice JD Jr, Blot WJ. Mesothelioma mortality within two radiation monitored occupational cohorts. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):786-794, 2022. [PMID 31290725]
Till J, Beck H, Boice JD Jr, Mohler H, Mumma M, Aanenson J, Grogan H. Asbestos exposure and mesothelioma mortality among atomic veterans, Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):781-785, 2022. [PMID 30513236]
Till JE, Beck HL, Aanenson JW, Grogan HA, Mohler HJ, Mohler SS, Voillequé PG. Dosimetry associated with veterans who participated in nuclear weapons testing. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):610-618, 2022. [PMID 30513229]
Yoder RC, Dauer L, Balter S, Boice JD Jr, Grogan H, Mumma M, Passmore CN, Rothenberg LN, Vetter RJ. Dosimetry for the study of medical radiation workers with a focus on the mean absorbed dose to the lung, brain and other organs. Int J Radiat Biol 98(4):619-630, 2022. [PMID 30451566]

Presentations:

The work of NCRP, including MPS efforts funded through NCRP, is presented at various venues by NCRP officers, chairs/members of PACs and SCs, and others involved in the projects. Presentations in 2022 included:

Boice JD. “Occupational Radiation, Parkinson’s Disease and Cognition.” 2022 NASA Human Research Program (HRP) Investigators’ Workshop (IWS); Enabling the Future: the Pathway to the Moon and Mars. Virtual Meeting, February 7–10, 2022.
Held KD. “Radiation Protection in Cancer-Related Research, Treatment and Imaging.” Invited Grand Rounds talk for University of Arkansas Medical School Winthrop P Rockefeller Cancer Institute, February 16, 2022.
Jokisch DW, Martinez NE. “An Overview of the New NCRP Scientific Committee (SC 6-13) on Estimating Organ Doses from Intakes of Radium.” 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress, St. Louis, MO (Hybrid), February 22–24, 2022.
Salame-Alfie A, Ansari A. “Proposed Recommendations on Respiratory Protection for Emergency Workers Responding to a Nuclear/Radiological Incident.” 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress, St. Louis, MO (Hybrid), February 22–24, 2022.
Klemic G, Pibida L, Ansari A, Buddemeier B, Irwin W, Iwatschenko-Borho M, Karam PA, Salame-Alfie A, Kouzes R, Daryl F. “NCRP Statement on Instrument Response Verification and Calibration for Use in Radiation Emergencies.” 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress, St. Louis, MO (Hybrid), February 22–24, 2022.
Held KD. “NCRP Initiatives to Increase Diversity.” 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress, St. Louis, MO (Hybrid), February 22–24, 2022.
Bushberg JT, “Why It’s So Natural for So Many to Believe So Much That Is So Wrong: Communicating Science in a Sea of Misperception and Cognitive Bias.” 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress, St. Louis, MO (Hybrid), February 22–24, 2022.
Balter S, Miller DL. “Fluoroscopy: Risk Management Stratification of Training and Equipment.” 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress, St. Louis, MO (Hybrid), February 22–24, 2022.
Martinez NE, Jokisch D, Samuels C, Dauer LT, Boice JD Jr. “Radium dial worker patterns of intake by workplace and era.” 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress; St. Louis, MO (Hybrid), February 22–24, 2022.
Held KD. “Thoughts from NCRP on the Radiation Sciences Workforce,” Invited panel presentation at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Regulatory Information Conference (RIC), Bethesda, MD (virtual), March 2022.
Martinez N, Jokisch D. “Revisiting the Doses to Radium Dial Painters in the United States.” Presentation for the BWCHPS virtual monthly meeting, March 24, 2022.
Ansari A, Salame-Alfie A. “Consideration of a Tiered Approach to Respiratory Protection for Emergency Workers Responding to a Nuclear/Radiological Incident.” International Society for Respiratory Protection 20th Conference (ISRP2022), May 9-12, 2022 (virtual).
Boice JD Jr. “Hearts and Minds — New Frontiers in Radiation Protection?” virtual presentation at the Annual Meeting of the UK Society for Radiological Protection. Llandudno, Wales, June 14, 2022 (virtual).
Held KD. “Morgan Lecture: New Initiatives in Radiation Protection Sciences.” Invited plenary presentation at Health Physics Society 67th Annual Meeting, Spokane, WA, July 2022.
Held KD. “NCRP’s Views on Radiation Protection Guidance.” Invited talk in AAHP Special Session at Health Physics Society 67th Annual Meeting, Spokane, WA, July 2022.
Golden A, et al. “Findings from Department of Energy Cohorts in the Million Worker Study: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Rocky Flats Site, and Tennessee Eastman Corporation,” Health Physics Society 67th Annual Meeting, Spokane, WA, July,2022.
Dauer LT, Boice JD. “The Million Person Study of Low-Level and Low-Dose-Rate Health Effects: Importance, Information and Innovation,” Health Physics Society 67th Annual Meeting, Spokane, WA, July 2022.
Held KD (for LT Dauer). “Million Worker Study: Innovations in radiation epidemiology and dosimetry,” Oral presentation at the Radiation Research Society 68th Annual Meeting, Hawaii, October 2022.
Golden A. “Updates from recently published and on-going analyses of Department of Energy cohorts in the US Million Worker Study,” Oral presentation at the Radiation Research Society 68th Annual Meeting, Hawaii, October 2022.
Milder C. “Epidemiological analysis of historical worker cohorts to estimate excess risk of cardiovascular disease in modern populations: A Million Person Study case study,” Poster presentation at the Radiation Research Society 68th Annual Meeting, Hawaii, October 2022.
Held KD. “Update on current NCRP initiatives,” Presentation at ISCORS virtual meeting, November 3, 2022.
Salame-Alfie A. “Respirator guidance for emergency workers & emergency instrument calibration,” Presentation at New England Radiological Health Committee Annual Meeting, Brookhaven National Laboratory, November 18, 2022.
Dauer L. “Million Person Study,” Presentation for EPRI’s International Dose Effect Alliance (IDEA) Workshop, November 30, 2022 (virtual).

I hope that we have captured all the presentations given on behalf of NCRP. I apologize if we’ve missed any; please let me know about them. We thank all the individuals who have given of their time and effort to represent NCRP so well to a variety of audiences.

Funding Support Summary:

In 2022, NCRP received new funding from the ABR Foundation for SC 4-13 and continued with grants and contracts funded by a number of sources including (active SCs during 2022 supported by each in parentheses):

CDC (SC 3-2, SC 3-3, SC 4-13, SC 8-1, and TG 4-9)
CRCPD (SC 3-2, SC 4-10, and SC 4-12)
DOE (SC 1-27, SC 1-28, SC 6-12, SC 6-13, and MPS)
FDA (SC 4-10)
NASA (SC 1-27 and MPS)
U.S. Navy (MPS)

We are grateful for the significant monetary and programmatic support from these federal agencies and other organizations and thank them for their continued interest in and funding of NCRP and our programs. This support is vital to our ability to provide the scientific service to the nation as is NCRP’s mission. We also continue to have discussions with these agencies and organizations and others about other possible opportunities for NCRP to assist them in their missions.

Annual Meetings:

The 58th NCRP Annual Meeting, on “Opportunities in Radiation Science: From Low Dose to Climate Change” was held virtually March 28-29, 2022. The Program Committee, led by Co-Chairs Jessica S. Wieder and Evagelia C. Laiakis, planned an innovative, interactive meeting to highlight the work of NCRP and its impact and to discuss the future of radiation protection, radiation sciences and NCRP’s role and opportunities in that future. A wide range of topics was presented, and it was an honor to have distinguished speakers including the 45th Lauriston Taylor Lecturer, Gayle Woloschak, discussing “Long-Term Radiation Animal Studies: A Story Continues,” the 18th Annual Sinclair Keynote Address by Joe W. Gray on “Developing a Long-Term Strategy for Low-Dose Radiation Research in the United States,” and the 5th Tenforde Topical Lecture by Jill A. Lipoti on “Opportunities in Radiation Science: Applying Our Collective Knowledge to the Challenges of Our Time.” It was a stimulating meeting with a great deal of new information presented.
The program for the 2023 NCRP Annual Meeting, which will be held in person in Bethesda on March 27-28, 2023, is all set. The topic is “Integration of Physics, Biology and Epidemiology in Radiation Risk Assessment,” and the Program Committee, Chaired by Eric J. Grant with Vice Chair Emily A.Caffrey, has planned a series of cutting-edge talks pointing to an exciting future for radiation protection based on integrating science from a broad realm of disciplines. The theme will be emphasized by the highly regarded speakers including the 46th Lauriston Taylor Lecturer, Martha S. Linet, speaking on “Cancer Risks and Public Health Issues Across the Radiation Frequency Spectrum: The Long and the Short of It,” the 19th Annual Sinclair Keynote Address by Michael M. Weil discussing “What do Risk Modelers Want? What Can Biologists Provide?,” and the 6th Tenforde Topical Lecture by Susanne M. Rafelski on “Towards Evaluating Cell Damage via Microscopy Imaging and Analysis of Cell Organization.” We are looking forward with great anticipation to interacting with all our colleagues and hearing super talks at our first in-person meeting since 2019.

We are in early stages of planning the 2024 Annual Meeting on “Advanced Nuclear Power Reactor Technology.” The Program Committee will be chaired by William E. Kennedy, Jr. with co-chairs Willie O. Harris and Kathryn A. Higley. More information to come.

Program Area Committee Work:

The PACs continued to meet virtually in 2022, both around the time of the annual meeting, and some more frequently to discuss PAC business and have scientific presentations and discussions. Several PACs have developed draft proposals that need funding to be moved forward – so many great ideas and needs but such limited resources! We will continue to seek funding sources for these worthy proposals. The PACs are all eagerly planning their in-person meetings for March 2023 at the Annual Meeting. I continue to meet several times a year with the PAC Chairs and find the sessions very helpful as they provide some great ideas for new activities for NCRP and important insight about ongoings in the radiation community and potential funding discussions. Much of the valuable work done by the PACs involves their oversight of and assistance to NCRP SCs, described above.

Finances:

Our biggest challenge remains the need to build long-term financial stability for the NCRP. There are several items to note with regards to our financial status and efforts:

As shown in the financial report, we had a small net financial gain in our operations in 2022, but, unfortunately, a significant loss on investments, mirroring changes in the stock market. This resulted in a net decrease in NCRP assets. Being very conservative about federal funding, we currently predict that 2023 will result in a sizable financial loss in operations unless additional income is forthcoming. This predicted loss results from a combination of the decrease in funding from DOE for year five of our ongoing grant from them, the end of the Navy grant in September 2022, and the impending end of the current DOE grant in September 2023. We are in discussions with several funding agencies and other organizations, but it is too early to put potential funding outcomes into budgets. It will continue to be critical for us, in consultation with the Budget and Finance Committee, to monitor finances closely throughout the coming year.
Not having an in-person annual meeting again in 2022 cut expenses substantially, a decrease we will not have in 2023 since we will have an in-person annual meeting (at a cost of $150,000 to $170,000). For some time, the Board has been discussing the fact that the long-established policy of in-person annual meetings, with little income to off-set those meeting expenses, cannot be sustained. We had implemented a modest registration fee (excluding members, those on the program, and others who felt it was difficult to pay a fee) in 2022; the fee and donations for the meeting brought in about $11,590. As Council Members are aware, we implemented a registration fee for all but speakers for the 2023 meeting and decreased travel reimbursements, but a new mode of operation regarding annual meetings is needed long term.
The new lease on our office space, with the move to smaller space, saved a net (after moving expenses) of about $20,000 in 2022 and will save more in 2023.
Because of the decreased expenses due to not having an in-person annual meeting or travel for administrative and other committees, we were able to pay off the loan we have had for some years with Merrill Lynch; our LMA (Loan Management Account) balance is now zero. However, due to stock market fluctuations, the value of our net assets has decreased from the end of 2021 to the end of 2022, and is still well below levels some years back.
Grants from the ABR Foundation, CDC, CRCPD, DOE, FDA, NASA, and the U.S. Navy have been vital to NCRP’s work in recent years. We continue to seek other sources of revenue in this challenging environment, but, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, we need to seek ways to increase funding and secure NCRP’s long-term financial position.
We thank all the Council members and others who have made donations to NCRP directly or took advantage of the AmazonSmile and Give with Bing initiatives, and we encourage you to remember NCRP with a charitable contribution or as a small percentage beneficiary of an IRA or life insurance policy. Your ideas regarding potential fund-raising opportunities are welcome! We acknowledge the Contributors and Corporate Sponsors, who are listed later in this Annual Report. We greatly value their support, both financial and programmatic.

Million Person Study:

A major component of current NCRP activities continues to be the Million Person Study (MPS), which is coordinated through and is a critical source of income for NCRP (grants from DOE, NASA, and the Navy in 2022). NCRP Past President John D. Boice, Jr., who has so ably led and built this vital epidemiology effort for years, continues to direct the effort, as NCRP Director of Science, with substantial leadership also from Lawrence T. Dauer, now MPS Scientific Coordinator. The MPS is designed to study the range of health effects from prolonged radiation exposures in healthy American workers and veterans who are more representative of today’s population than are the Japanese atomic-bomb survivors, exposed briefly to radiation in 1945, the population typically used as the epidemiological basis for many evaluations of radiation risk. The MPS will increase scientific understanding that can improve guidelines and guidance to protect workers and members of the public. Major activities of the MPS in 2022 included:

subgroups working on dosimetry and epidemiology of health effects for various study cohorts continue regular meetings (virtual) as they pursue the project goals and prepare publications on the findings;
John, Larry and I and numerous others involved in the MPS participated in several workshops of the entire MPS team and subgroups;
quarterly meetings of John, Larry, other MPS personnel, and I were held (virtually or in person) with the staff of the Naval Dosimetry Center through the Navy grant;
numerous papers were published related to the MPS in 2022 (listed above) including many in the special issue of the International Journal of Radiation Biology; and
multiple presentations were given by John, Larry and others (listed above).

Partnerships:

In addition to our valuable partnerships with funding agencies, NCRP continues numerous active and fruitful partnerships with multiple national and international organizations that are listed on the NCRP website. We value review comments from other organizations like the American Association of Physicists in Medicine and American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology on our draft documents. Additionally, NCRP officers serve on advisory committees and boards and review panels of other groups (e.g., Image Gently, ABR, National Institutes of Health, International Radiation Protection Association); NCRP organizes sessions and provides members to serve as speakers and session chairs at meetings of other entities (e.g., Health Physics Society, Radiation Research Society); and NCRP officers and Board/SC members provide NCRP-related educational activities and material for other organizations (e.g., CDC, NASA, Vanderbilt, Harvard, University of California Davis, University of Maryland). These activities are critical to NCRP’s mission and help “spread the word” about NCRP. Don’t hesitate to let us know if you can recommend other opportunities for partnerships, formal or informal, and we’re always available to give presentations to other groups who are interested in NCRP’s work.

Final Thoughts:

NCRP leadership is committed to encouraging more junior professionals in the radiation sciences and more diversity in our SCs, PACs, at our meetings and as Council members. We strive to add diversity to our ranks by engaging qualified junior investigators, women, and minorities. We hope that our new efforts in internships and mentoring will help with that goal and look forward to increasing the efforts. Please encourage your junior and minority colleagues to become involved with NCRP and let us know of talented individuals that we should include in our activities.

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of an Executive Director Emeritus and a Distinguished Emeritus Member in 2022.

W. Roger Ney passed away on August 4, 2022, at the age of 92. Lauriston S. Taylor, NCRP founding president, tapped Mr. Ney to serve as the first Executive Director of NCRP, a position he held from 1964 to 1997.

Mr. Ney was an able leader for NCRP, coordinating the work of contributing scientists at universities around the world, editing the reports, and even learning the challenging art of fundraising. He spent decades of his professional life guiding the NCRP. He was passionate about radiation safety and the promise of radiation as a tool in modern times, and he was passionate about the NCRP.

Mr. Ney served with three NCRP Presidents, Lauriston S. Taylor, Warren K. Sinclair, and Charles B. Meinhold. He oversaw the production of over 120 reports, 14 commentaries, and numerous annual meetings and symposia and their published proceedings. He continued to do consulting work for the organization even after he retired.

Marvin Carl Ziskin, M.D. passed away on October 22, 2022, at the age of 86. Dr. Ziskin was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Temple University Medical School in 1962.

Dr. Ziskin was a member of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) from 1987 to 2005 and was elected a Distinguished Emeritus Member in 2005. He served on the NCRP Board of Directors from 1997 to 2003; member of the NCRP Budget and Finance Committee from 1995 to 1996 and then chair from 1997 to 1999. He also served as a member of PAC 8 and SC 66 which published NCRP Reports No. 74, Biological Effects of Ultrasound: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications (1983) and No. 113, Exposure Criteria for Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound: I. Criteria Based on Thermal Mechanisms (1992); a Consultant to SC 4-4 on Risks of Ionizing Radiation to the Developing Embryo, Fetus and Nursing Infant; and on the Advisory Panel on Nonionizing Radiation; and was a member of the 1997 Annual Meeting Program Committee.

Following the COVID-19-imposed challenges in 2020, 2021, and early 2022, it was so nice in the later part of 2022 to start to have some NCRP committee meetings back in the office. We all realize that how work is done has changed, and I suspect that NCRP will continue to have many of our committee meetings virtually as we employ the new-found ways to accomplish the NCRP mission and do our jobs. But, as you can see from this narrative, 2022 was a productive year for NCRP. We look forward to another productive year in 2023 and expect that we’ll be able to interact in person much more. Despite challenges, there are plentiful opportunities, and it will be wonderful to continue working with all the many terrific scientific and professional colleagues and partnering organizations who work so hard to support NCRP in our mission to serve our great nation.

Many thanks to the hard-working NCRP Staff, Board of Directors, and Council and SC Members for assistance in all NCRP endeavors. Special thanks to Laura Atwell, John Boice, Jerry Bushberg, and Larry Dauer for all they have done for NCRP over many productive years and for their dedication and tireless support and sage advice to me. The strong team that you all make is a joy to be a part of.

Kathryn D. Held, President

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