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
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