The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a statement on the Bonn Call for Action, a list of priorities for radiation protection over the next decade.
The Bonn Call for Action of 2012 arose from an international conference cosponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It identifies 10 key actions that are essential for strengthening radiation protection.
Some of the actions proposed by the Bonn conference are outside of FDA's role and authority, the agency said, but many are actions to which it has already made efforts and contributions. In its statement, the agency listed areas where it is actively working to implement the Bonn Call for Action, including the following:
- Helping to draft the International Commission on Radiological Protection's guidance on justification for radiological procedures in medicine
- Engaging with standards development organizations and industry organizations to introduce safety features into the national and international standards for medical devices
- Participating in the efforts of various professional organizations in education and quality assurance for radiation therapy and nuclear medicine devices, including linear accelerators, brachytherapy devices, proton-beams units, and SPECT and PET systems
- In cooperation with the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, facilitating the Nationwide Evaluation of X-Ray Trends (NEXT) surveys, which collect radiation dose data for specific medical and dental imaging procedures in the U.S.
- Participating in the annual meetings of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the American Society for Radiation Oncology, and American Society of Radiologic Technologists, and on other committees that evaluate safety concerns and appropriate use recommendations for radiation oncolog
- Participating in the World Health Organizations' Global Initiative on Radiation Safety in Health Care Settings, which is an effort to raise awareness of the safe use of radiation in medicine among health authorities, health policymakers, healthcare providers, patients, and the public
