Calif. Scientists Create New Radiation Treatment

Calif. Scientists Create New Radiation Treatment

The U.S. Energy Department's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California on Tuesday said researchers are at work on an enhanced treatment for victims of a mass radiation incidents such as a nuclear strike or a radiological "dirty bomb" attack (see GSN, Jan. 6).
At present, the only available medical treatment for decontaminating victims of radiation incidents involves the injection into a vein of a chemical compound  that does not have the ability to completely rid the body of poisonous actinide contaminants such as lawrencium and actinium, according to a laboratory press release.
The new treatment under development at the institution can be taken as a pill, allowing for streamlined administration of the countermeasure following a large-scale nuclear incident.