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Title:
WHAT ARE THE LEGAL, ETHICAL, AND ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPI NG A COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION
Author(s):
Subject Terms:
LEGAL ISSUES
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Document Type:
OTHER
Document Type Other:
DRAFT;REPORT
Publication Date:
1979 Jan 01
Declassification Status:
Unknown
Document Pages:
0034
Accession Number:
NV0757924
Originating Research Org.:
DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY, U.S.
OpenNet Entry Date:
1999 Jul 13
OpenNet Modified Date:
2003 Sep 18
Description/Abstract:
THIS PAPER CONSIDERED "THE LEGAL, ETHICAL, AND ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION." WHILE THESE CONSTRAINTS EXIST, THEY ARE NOT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CERTAIN CORE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES, FIXED AND IMMUTABLE; RATHER, THEY ARE DETERMINED BY THE POLITICAL PROCESS. AS A RESULT, IF THEY IMPEDE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION, THEY MAY BE OVERCOME--BUT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER VALUES. DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE OVERCOME MUST BE MADE BY THOSE WITH POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY; HEADS OF AGENCIES THAT CONDUCT OR SPONSOR RESEARCH AND THEIR DELEGATES, TO THE EXTENT THAT THESE OFFICIALS HAVE DISCRETION ABOUT THE DECISIONS; THE PRESIDENT AND THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, WHO DETERMINE THE PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE OF VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED; AND, ULTIMATELY, THE CITIZENS WHO ELECT THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS. THESE DECISION-MAKERS MUST HAVE FULL AND OBJECTIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHOICES THAT CONFRONT THEM. RATHER THAN PRODUCING A FINISHED PRODUCT, THE AUTHORS OUTLINE ISSUES IN THIS FIRST DRAFT, AND SEEK PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WILL ASSIST THEM IN EXPANDING AND REFINING THE FINAL PAPER.