Helen Caldicott Quotes

My main frustration is the fear of cancer from low dose radiation, even by radiologists.

Everybody is exposed to radiation. A little bit more or a little bit less is of no consequence.

There is no safe amount of radiation. Even small amounts do harm.

You can absolutely drive through an atmospheric bomb test and not be affected.

Radiation, unlike smoking, drinking, and overeating, gives no pleasure, so the possible victims object.

When you're asked to have a CT scan or a nuclear scan, do you know how much radiation that involves? How many of those sorts of scans have you already had? Is it necessary? Is there an alternative? I don't think many people know about that.

The worst situation with radiation escaping is if you are downwind from it. You could virtually be on one side and not affected by the radiation. If you're on the other side and you're downwind from it, you are going to be affected.

Most medical physicists work in the physics of radiation oncology making sure that the desired dose is given to the cancer and the dose to normal tissues are minimized.

Too many radiologists still believe there is a risk from a chest x-ray. Few radiologists can explain radiation to the patient in words the patient can understand.

I am now almost certain that we need more radiation for better health.

With the terrible earthquake and resulting tsunami that have devastated Japan, the only good news is that anyone exposed to excess radiation from the nuclear power plants is now probably much less likely to get cancer.

The investigation into the possible effects of cosmic rays on living organisms will also offer great interest.

It took me 45 minutes to get in all of the suits and putting all the dosimeters on me so that they knew how much radiation I got and the protective boots and everything.

Radiation is relentless: my protocol is five days a week, 33 sessions altogether.

When I entered the field in July 1958 I believed what they told me about radiation risks. I spent much effort reducing the dose to patients in radiology.

In some cases radiation reduces the incidence of cancer.

I do not believe that nuclear power is worth it, if it creates radiation.

I used to represent the Congressional district of Oak Ridge Tennessee where the people have an immunity to radiation.

The Soviet State had never made radiation something that was publicized in any way, shape, or form. In fact, the Soviet Union had experienced a number of serious accidents involving radiation since the 1950s and had covered it up a number of times.

I got a massive overdose of gamma radiation from the Xerox machine and just printing call sheets, you know? By the time I stepped in front of the camera, I was very comfortable. It was great.

Pierre Curie voluntarily exposed his arm to the action of radium for several hours. This resulted in damage resembling a burn that developed progressively and required several months to heal. Henri Becquerel had by accident a similar burn as a result of carrying in his vest pocket a glass tube containing radium salt. He came to tell us of this evil effect of radium, exclaiming in a manner at once delighted and annoyed: "I love it, but I owe it a grudge."

There is a growing body of evidence that radiation in excess of what the government says are the minimum amounts we should be exposed to are actually good for you and reduce cases of cancer.

When one studies strongly radioactive substances special precautions must be taken. Dust, the air of the room, and one's clothes, all become radioactive.

Alice Stewart [is] a much underestimated scientist who has been an indomitable challenger of the establishment and a thorn in the flesh of the nuclear industry.

Nobody could tell us or really had a very good idea, if there were a massive release of radiation, what kind of medical treatment people were going to need and this or that, or, indeed, whether there would be medical personnel around.