PRINCIPLE OF RADIATION PROTECTION: JUSTIFICATION OF PRACTICE

Under the principle of radiation protection, there are three (3) elements that can be apply in system of dose limitation which are the justification of practice, the optimization of protection and safety and dose limit. 

According to Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 Atomic Energy Licensing (Basic Safety Radiation Protection) Regulations 2010, 

Justification of practice

(1) No person shall carry out or cause to be carried out any practice unless the practice is justified in accordance with subregulation (2).

(2) No practice or source within a practice shall be authorized unless the practice produces sufficient benefit to the exposed individuals or to society to offset the radiation harm that it might cause, that is unless the practice is justified, taking into account the social, economic and other relevant factors.

(3) Notwithstanding subregulation (1), the following practices are deemed to be unjustified whenever they result in an increase, by deliberate addition of radioactive material or by activation, in the activity of the associated commodities or products: (a) practices involving food, beverages, cosmetics or any other commodity or product intended for ingestion, inhalation or percutaneous intake by, or an application to, a human being, except for justified practices involving medical exposure; and (b) practices involving the frivolous use of radiation or radioactive material, nuclear material or prescribed substance in commodities or products such as toys and personal jewellery or adornments.

The acts above explain, every practice that used radiation exposure must be justifiable which radiation should only be adopted if it yielded sufficient benefit to the exposed individual/society. For example, the use of x-ray pelvimetry has significant hazard to the fetus. So no longer used routinely although may be useful for the mother with pelvic deformity. Most of the assesment needed for the justification of a practice are made on the basis of experience, professional judgement, and common sense.

2 levels of Justification

• General level: The use of radiation in medicine is accepted as doing more good than harm.
• Individual case level: The application of the procedure to an individual patient.

Source:

https://radia.moh.gov.my/project/radiaweb/docs/BSS-2010_BI.pdf