Last weekend, a rather shocking story came out of the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn.
It was revealed that at the facility, many prematurely born infants had been over-radiated while being treated at the facility. In a particularly alarming case, one infant had been irradiated from head to toe.
In the aftermath, the state commissioner of health, Nirav R. Shah, has ordered an investigation into the Center, in order to find out what practices led to these egregious oversights.
Obviously, a story like this begs several questions. For one, it raises questions about just how qualified the people working in the Downstate Medical Center are. It would seem like someone with the qualifications to work for a professional organization would be able to prevent tragedies like this from happening.
An even larger issue, however, is the question of regulation within the radiation industry. Quite simply, there isn't much being done to regulate this industry.
In 15 states, radiation therapists (those who administer radiation treatment to cancer patients) are unregulated, while imaging technologists (those who are trained to perform x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs) are unregulated in 11 states. From this, it can be clear that this profession operates without a lot of oversight.
Generally, no specific degree is required to hold these positions. In some states, a bachelor's degree may be required; in others, an associate's degree; in still others, a certification process.
What the incident at the Downstate Medical Center proves is that stricter federal regulation is necessary in this industry. While instances like that are hardly the norm, accidents do happen, and if there is no regulation, there will be more accidents.
Over the past decade, there have been several attempts to create standards and requirements for this industry, but they have all failed. In 2006, the Senate passed a bill that would create minimum education and certification requirements, but Congress adjourned before the House was able to vote.
In 2009, a similar effort was made, but with equally unsatisfying results. There seems to be very little traction for this bill, probably because no Congressman with any serious clout has been willing to take up the cause.
Perhaps, in the aftermath of this story, that will change. Now that people are more aware of the problems that can occur in this largely unregulated industry, Congress will be more likely to become part of the cause.
Only time will tell if this bill is ever passed, but The Spectrum believes it should be. While it is not known if unqualified employees were the reason this tragedy occurred, it is certainly not an unreasonable suspicion.
If regulations were passed so that only qualified radiology technologists could be hired, the likelihood of occurrences like this would decrease significantly. The entire radiation industry could sleep a lot more easily.
