The International Commission on Radiolovical Protection (ICRP)
The ICRP originated in the Second International Congress of Radiology
in 1928.

It has been looked to as the appropriate body to give general

guidance on widespread use of radiation sources caused by rapid
developments in the field of nuclear enersy,

ICRP recommendations deal

with the basic principles of radiation protection.

To the various

mational protection bodies is left the responsibility for introducing the
detailed technical regulations, recormendations, cr codes of practice
best suited to their countries.

Recommendations are intended to guide

the experts responsible for radiation protection practice.

ICRP states that the objectives of radiation protection are to prevent
acute radiation effects and to limit the risks of late effects to an
accentahle Tayel.

Tr hatde that fit fs ounknem whether a threshald existe,

and it is assumed that even the smallest doses involve a proportionately
small risk.

No practical alternative was found to assuming a linear

relationship between dose and effect.

This implies that there is no

wholly "safe" dose of radiation.

Exposure to natural backeround radiation carries a probability of causing
some somatic or hereditary injurv.

liowever, the Commission believes that

the risk resulting frem exposures received from natural backsround should
not affect the justification of an additional risk from man=-ncde exposures.
Accordingly, any dese limitations recommended by the Commission refer only
to exposure resulting from technical practices that add to natural back~
ground radiation,

These dose limitations exclude exposures received in the

course of medical procedures.

(These sane qualifications with regard to

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