The Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS) Program
Background: REAC/TS program has been a significant part of DOE's radiation protection effort for almost 40 years. REAC/TS is funded by the DOE Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs and NNSA. REAC/TS is an essential component of the DOE Radiological Assistance Program (RAP), which will also supports the Department of Homeland Security in the event of a national radiological/nuclear emergency.
Worker Health and Safety: The safety and health of DOE workers benefit from the services provided by REAC/TS and the collaboration of REAC/TS staff with site medical staff through the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG).
Specific Areas of Support Include:
Accomplishments: The following accomplishments (1976-present)
illustrate the REAC/TS mission of assisting DOE sites in the
area of occupational medicine, as well as their role in the
world-wide emergency response community.
- Training: Numbers trained in Oak Ridge: >2000 physicians;
>1500 nurses; >1000 health physicists; >1400 other
professionals.
- Numerous training activities throughout US for occupational
medicine, emergency and other physicians, nurses, lawyers,
and health physicists.
- Sponsored 4 major conferences on The Medical Basis
for Radiation Accident Preparedness.
- Radiation accident/incident assistance: calls for assistance:
>2000;
biodosimetry and other dose estimates: >300; patients
seen at REAC/TS: >200.
- History of drug distribution to sites, etc.:
- Ca-DTPA and Zn-TPA provided to DOE facilities and
public physicians for treatment of internal contamination
with transuranic radioisotopes (Pu, Am and Cm) since
late 70's as Investigational New Drug (IND).
- In 1993, FDA awards REAC/TS an IND for Prussian blue
for treatment of cesium contamination given to REAC/TS
and distribution to sites begins.
- Use of REAC/TS data by FDA to support national security
needs: FDA used data from the REAC/TS DTPA Registry
to determine safety and efficacy of DTPAs, allowing
the drugs to be moved from IND status to New Drug category
(NDA) and wider availability in 2003-4.
- Advised DOE on the use of other drugs for the protection/treatment
of radiation injury.
- National, international support and exercises:
- REAC/TS staff participates in many national committees
and exercises related to emergency response.
- REAC/TS is a World Health Organization (WHO) Radiation
Emergency Medical Preparedness and Assistance Network
(REMPAN) Center. - REAC/TS staff provides technical
assistance and consultation to WHO and the International
Atomic Energy Agency in technical and policy areas.
Provided advice and consultation on accidents in Chernobyl
and other Former Soviet Union, Brazil, Peru, Egypt,
and Japan.
Related Documents and Links
Program Manager: Marsha Lawn
This page was last updated on September 21, 2007
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