. "6 Expanding RECA Eligibility: Implementation." Assessment of the Scientific Information for the Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2005.
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Assessment of the Scientific Information for the Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program
TABLE 6.3 PC/AS of Diagnosed Lung Cancer in White and Navajo Uranium Miners in Colorado Plateau
White miners
Duration: < 1 year N = 515
Exposure (WLM)
RR
PC/AS
Median
46.5
1.26
0.20
5th percentile
2.1
1.01
0.01
95th percentile
262.4
2.44
0.59
Duration: ≥ 1 year N = 2,832
Exposure (WLM)
RR
PC/AS
Median
563.5
11.40
0.91
5th percentile
67.9
3.8
0.74
95th percentile
3059.8
49.6
0.98
Navajo miners
Duration: < 1 year N = 101
Exposure (WLM)
RR
PC/AS
Median
43.7
1.24
0.19
5th percentile
2.1
1.01
0.01
95th percentile
271.0
2.49
0.60
Duration: ≥ 1 year N = 654
Exposure (WLM)
RR
PC/AS
Median
513.9
10.64
0.91
5th percentile
66.3
3.79
0.74
95th percentile
2604.7
42.6
0.98
initial population-based PC/AS preassessment is essential if the approach is to be efficient and timely. The population-based preassessment would provide guidance concerning the extent of the problem and identify locations and population groups in which compensation would be viable. Estimated radiation doses to organs other than thyroid and the corresponding PC/AS values for the tissues at risk are substantially lower than those for the thyroid. Because of the low radiation doses estimated for organs other than the thyroid, the committee suggests that the preassessment would enable the implementing agency to focus on selected diseases, areas and population groups. The results of the preassessment, however, would depend greatly on the PC/AS criterion for compensation that is eventually adopted.
We presented an example showing the importance of the PC/AS criterion, especially the influence of the percentile of the PC/AS distribution that is specified for awarding compensation. If Congress chooses a 95th or 99th percentile, compensation would be awarded for very low values of estimated
