EURAMED
The Medical platform for Radiation Protection
Research
Graciano Paulo
IPC-ESTESC
Coimbra Health School
Ciência 2017 (Lisbon 5th July)
The European Alliance for Medical Radiation Protection Research (EURAMED)
represents a consortium of associations involved in the application of ionising
radiation in medicine, namely:
• the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM),
• the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP),
• the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS),
• the European Society of Radiology (ESR),
• the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO),
with the goal of jointly improving medical care and its radiation protection issues
through sustainable research efforts.
Context
EURAMED complements existing established European platforms in several other fields
of radiation protection and will thus create visibility for the medical field in this
context.
The other platforms are namely:
•
Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative (MELODI)
•
European Radiation Dosimetry Group (EURADOS)
•
European Platform for nuclear and radiological emergency response and recovery (NERIS)
•
European Radioecology Alliance (ALLIANCE)
Vision
To lead the European research activities in medical RP and to assume an umbrella
function for the harmonisation of practice to advance the European RP safety culture
in medicine
Mission
• To jointly improve medical care through sustainable research efforts in medical
radiation protection
• Identification of common research areas defined in a common strategic research
agenda
• To serve as a platform for medical radiation protection research, linking
researchers and clinicians, adopting a harmonised approach to lobbying at
European level to impact the European research funding landscape
• To develop an aligned approach and response to European research calls
EURAMED Working Group Members:
Christoph Hoeschen, Uni Magdeburg/DE, Chair
John Damilakis, EFOMP
Wolfgang Doerr, ESTRO
Guy Frija, ESR
Gerhard Glatting, EANM
Hans Langendijk, ESTRO
Kristoff Muylle, EANM
Graciano Paulo, EFRS
Wolfram Stiller, ESR
Virginia Tsapaki, EFOMP
Jonathan McNulty, EFRS
Monika Hierath, EIBIR (Support)
PURPOSE OF THE SOCIETY
The Society shall be an apolitical, non-profit organisation, exclusively and directly
dedicated to promoting and coordinating the scientific, philanthropic, intellectual
and professional activities in the field of medical radiation protection research.
The Society’s mission at all times is to serve the health care needs of the general
public through the support of science and research and the quality of service in
medical imaging and therapy involving ionising radiation.
The research that is seen to be necessary and most urgent for effective medical care,
under the best harmonised practice, and efficient in terms of radiation protection can
be summarised to the following five main topics:
1. Measurement and quantification in the field of medical applications of ionising
radiation
2. Normal tissue reactions, radiation-induced morbidity and long-term health
problems
3. Optimisation of radiation exposure and harmonisation of practices
4. Justification of the use of ionising radiation in medical practice
5. Infrastructures for quality assurance
Measurement and quantification in the field of medical applications of ionising
radiation
A key priority for radiation protection research in radiation oncology, nuclear
medicine and also interventional and diagnostic applications of ionising radiation is
to improve techniques and methods for measurement and quantification.
Normal tissue reactions, radiation-induced morbidity and long-term health problems
A key priority for radiation protection research in radiation oncology, nuclear
medicine and also interventional and diagnostic applications of ionising radiation is
is to improve health risk estimates.
Optimisation of radiation exposure and harmonisation of practices
According to the European Basic Safety Standard (BSS) (2013/59/EURATOM), the
radiation protection of individuals subject to public or occupational exposure must
be optimised with the aim of keeping the magnitude of individual doses, the
likelihood of exposure and the number of individuals exposed as low as reasonably
achievable (ALARA) taking into account the current state of technical knowledge,
economic and societal factors. The optimisation of the protection of individuals
subject to medical exposure should be consistent with the medical purpose of the
exposure.
Justification of the use of ionising radiation in medical practice
The principle of justification is one of the key pillars of radiation protection
underlined in the recently revised European BSS Directive. This principle focusses on
weighing the benefits versus the risks. Further important elements are patient
communication, as the basis for shared decision-making including the patient rights
for influencing the decision, as well as the appropriateness of the radiological
procedure with respect to the clinical setting.
Infrastructures for quality assurance
To perform investigations on tissue reactions, optimisation procedures as well as risk
and benefit evaluations, it is important to rely on optimal, quality assured data,
which are gathered under defined conditions and which are necessary for various
reasons including legal questions pertaining or specific to the research to be
performed. In addition, the clinical system of medical applications of ionising
radiation has to be standardised and evaluated concerning its effectiveness in
radiation protection.
EURAMED Final Message
It is essential that any research in the area of medical ionising radiation is translated
into clinical practice to ensure that patients and staff see the direct benefits of this
research.
There is evidence that this translational research often fails because of the absence
of parallel education and training programmes.
High quality education and training programmes will raise awareness of ongoing EU
research projects and initiatives and ensure their uptake into clinical practice at
local, national and European levels.
There has been an identified need to also develop high-quality education and
training specifically for researchers to help strengthen the medical ionising radiation
research community.
EURAMED
The Medical platform for Radiation Protection
Research
Graciano Paulo
IPC-ESTESC
Coimbra Health School
[email protected]
Ciência 2017 (Lisbon 5th July)