Michelle Nalabandian
Program Officer, Global Biological Policy and Programs
NTI Program
Officer for Scientific and Technical Affairs Michelle
Nalabandian addressed the “dirty bomb” threat posed by radiological sources
in medical equipment at the Radiation Injury Treatment Network’s 2017 Radiation
and Nuclear Preparedness workshop on July 25. The Network works to educate health care professionals about pertinent aspects of
radiation exposure management, and the educational workshop brought
together 170 health care professionals. Nalabandian presented on the risk posed
by cesium-137, a radioactive isotope used in medical equipment such as blood
irradiators, and discussed
the safe and effective alternative technology that is available to help
eliminate the threat of this material being stolen and used to build a “dirty
bomb”. Nalabandian is a co-author of NTI’sRadiological Security Progress Report and a recent case
study of usages of alternative technologies for radioactive sources.
View the “Preventing a
Dirty Bomb” project page to read more about NTI’s work with hospitals,
industry and governments on radiological risks.
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A Pacific Northwest National Laboratory video series addresses the risk of high-activity radioactive material used in hospitals, specifically cesium-137 blood irradiators.
“The bottom line is that the countries and areas with the greatest responsibility for protecting the world from a catastrophic act of nuclear terrorism are derelict in their duty,” the 2023 NTI Index reports.
The CNS Global Incidents and Trafficking Database found more than 350 incidents of nuclear and radioactive material outside of regulatory control in 2020 and 2021.