Before demanding tests, the good senator should consider the following argument:
To determine the amount of damage already done by body scan machines, the precise dosage of radiation used in each scan ever done by each machine ever used will have taken into account--as well as who each person the machine scanned was. If the dosage used in the scan was high enough to cause cellular damage, that person's medical history will have to be tracked, and studied, starting from the date of the incident of initial exposure to radiation from the body scan machine in question to when "biological signs of cellular damage" appear. Multiply that by the number of people scanned by that machine alone, and I foresee mass numbers of "invasion of privacy" suits occurring...
But wait! There's more! If said damage appears, it will need to be conclusively differentiated from damage caused by repeated *medical* X-Rays. Further delving into the affected individual(s) medical history will be needed. *More* lawsuits will ensue I ensure you, Madam Senator.
All the same, once the mountain(s) of data has been analyzed--properly, one hopes--who will determine the "acceptable" level of passenger radiation exposure from body scan machines? If the dosage is less than the threshold of cellular damage, will the TSA keep using body scan machines.? If it is higher, then who will do the "cost- benefit" analysis in terms of national security?
In summary, though Senator Collins' intentions are good, is she ready for the above described "Pandora's Box" her inquiry will open?
Slashdot Mirror
Before demanding tests, the good senator should consider the following argument: To determine the amount of damage already done by body scan machines, the precise dosage of radiation used in each scan ever done by each machine ever used will have taken into account--as well as who each person the machine scanned was. If the dosage used in the scan was high enough to cause cellular damage, that person's medical history will have to be tracked, and studied, starting from the date of the incident of initial exposure to radiation from the body scan machine in question to when "biological signs of cellular damage" appear. Multiply that by the number of people scanned by that machine alone, and I foresee mass numbers of "invasion of privacy" suits occurring... But wait! There's more! If said damage appears, it will need to be conclusively differentiated from damage caused by repeated *medical* X-Rays. Further delving into the affected individual(s) medical history will be needed. *More* lawsuits will ensue I ensure you, Madam Senator. All the same, once the mountain(s) of data has been analyzed--properly, one hopes--who will determine the "acceptable" level of passenger radiation exposure from body scan machines? If the dosage is less than the threshold of cellular damage, will the TSA keep using body scan machines.? If it is higher, then who will do the "cost- benefit" analysis in terms of national security? In summary, though Senator Collins' intentions are good, is she ready for the above described "Pandora's Box" her inquiry will open?