Lung cancer deaths from indoor radon and the cost effectiveness and potential of policies to reduce them

Alastair Gray, professor of health economics, Simon Read, analyst and programmer, Paul McGale, statistician, Sarah Darby, professor of medical statistics

1 Health Economics Research Centre, Department of Public Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, 2 Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford

Correspondence to: A Gray alastair.gray@dphpc.ox.ac.uk

Full Published Article: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/338/jan06_1/a3110

Objective
To determine the number of deaths from lung cancer related to radon in the home and to explore the cost effectiveness of alternative policies to control indoor radon and their potential to reduce lung cancer mortality.

Design
Cost effectiveness analysis.

The Post and Courier
Friday, December 5, 2008

Ten experts presented their lives' work to the President's Cancer Panel on Thursday in Charleston, the third of four such public meetings held across the country.

Environmental factors in cancer was this year's panel topic. Presenters strode broadly among pollutants found in the ground, air, water and products we use daily.

Panelists, who listened to the presenters and asked questions, are appointed by and report to the president. Several presenters spoke on radon, a cancer-causing radioactive gas that has largely slipped out of the public's awareness.

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally in the earth and can be trapped in structures. When people breathe radon, the radioactive gas decays in their lungs, shedding particles that can trigger cancer.