Ethics and medical radiological imaging: a policy brief for health-care providers

Overview

Ethics is an essential component of radiation protection in medicine, but this has not always been recognized by the various stakeholders involved. Medical imaging is universally accepted as an essential tool in health care. Yet, unlike most of medicine, its patient safety practices draw on the system of radiation protection, as opposed to that provided by medical ethics.

Building on the existing arrangements, this brief proposes a framework in which a range of initiatives can be developed to align patient radiation safety with WHO expectations and those of other international bodies including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP). It is intended to be consistent with initiatives on global health ethics, patient safety, universal health coverage and radiation safety.