Are airport body scanners safe? Dr. John Moulder lecture May 4 at UWM on scanner-safey topic

Source: UW-Milwaukee

An expert in the health risks of human exposure to radiation will speak at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) about airport whole-body scanners on May 4.

Hosted by the UWM Department of Physics, Dr. John Moulder of the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) will address the considerable public concern about possible health effects posed by the backscatter X-ray and millimeter-wave radar whole-body scanners that are used at many airports.

The free event begins at 8 p.m. in the Physics building, 1900 E. Kenwood Blvd., room 137.

As the summer travel season begins, Dr. Moulder will discuss the research showing that these scanners pose only negligible radiation risks if used as intended. However, he will also outline the difficulty in proving their safety using publicly accessible data that shields information on the machinery’s specifications and methods of measurement.

He makes the argument that more openness is needed, as is independent review and regulation. Publicly accessible, and preferably peer-reviewed, evidence is needed that the units (not just the prototypes) meet widely accepted safety standards.

Moulder is professor and director of radiation biology at MCW, and holds two advanced degrees from Yale University. There will be time for discussion and questions after the presentation.

 

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