Compliance with the ethical principles is an important aspect of all medical activities, including radiological procedures, that are carried out as part of health care. However, according to many experts, the radiation protection system does not sufficiently take into account ethical issues. World Health Organization expert, prof. Jim Malone, during the XIII National Conference “Ionising Radiation in Medicine” PJOMED 2022, emphasized that “It’s not an option. It’s really required. It’s an oversight in our system” (Malone, 2022; link ).

In response to this gap, numerous publications on a pragmatic approach to ethics in radiation protection have appeared in the last few years. Several international organizations are currently working on this issue, e.g. WHO and ICRP, that have established special task groups and organize joint workshops with specialists and key stakeholders from around the world, aimed at: gradually reformulating the framework of the radiation protection system and defining how ethics can be integrated with radiology in the future (ICRP 2019, WHO 2022).

Malone et al. (2019) propose the following set and categories of ethical values underlying radiation protection:

1. Core Values:
• Respect for autonomy
• Non-maleficence
• Beneficence
• Justice

2. Correlated Values:
• Dignity
• Precaution
• Solidarity
• Sustainability

3. Procedural Values:
• Inclusiveness
• Accountability
• Empathy
• Transparency

In some circumstances, these values may seem contradictory, but the lack of reference to ethical values in radiation protection can have far-reaching consequences for patients. Emphasizing ethical values in the delivery of radiology services will facilitate the transition from paternalism to patient-centered care and shared decision-making and will reduce the harm and increase the range of benefits associated with these services (Malone, 2022; WHO 2022).

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e-mail: marcin.drabek@nullkcor.gov.pl

References:

Malone “Ethics for Radiation Protection in Medicine: Fundamentals and International Developments” lecture given during the PJOMED 2022 conference in Łódź, on June 6, 2022 Jim Malone Ethics for Radiation Protection in Medicine eng napisyPL – YouTube

Malone, Zolzer, Meskens, Skourou „Ethics for Radiation Protection in Medicine” (CRC Press, 2019)

WHO “Ethics and medical radiological imaging: a policy brief for health-care providers” (2022) https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240047785

ICRP Publication 138 “Ethical foundations of the system of radiological protection” (2018) https://www.icrp.org/publication.asp?id=ICRP%20Publication%20138