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The Benefits and Risks of Technologies

William R. Hendee, PhD

JAMA. 1991;265(11):1437-1438.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

Nuclear energy and ionizing radiation are technologies that frequently are viewed with special concern by the public. Alarm often is expressed when these technologies are used for purposes such as generation of electrical power, exploration of material properties, and development of military weapons. Exposure to ionizing radiation is particularly troublesome because the risks are due to forces outside the range of the human senses. Radiation frequently is portrayed by the entertainment and news media as a technology that causes horrific effects as a result of exposure. We have all experienced this portrayal in movies, on television, and in popular literature.¹ As a consequence, few (if any) of us are totally objective in evaluating radiation, irrespective of our scientific and medical understanding. Certainly the average person does not view this technology objectively.

Of course, exposure to ionizing radiation does entail risks. We have known about the adverse consequences of exposure . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From the Group on Science and Technology, American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Group on Science and Technology, American Medical Association, 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610 (Dr Hendee).

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