Siegel J CP BG LtE re Applegate RS LD 9.02.2020

Rebuttal to: Epidemiological Support of the Linear Nonthreshold Model in Radiological Protection – by Kimberly E. Applegate, MD, Roy E. Shore, PhD & Lawrence T. Dauer, PhD

We read with much interest the recent article, “Epidemiological Support of the Linear Nonthreshold Model in Radiological Protection: Implications of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Commentary 27 for the Radiologist” by Applegate, Shore and Dauer (1). This is an opinion piece in support of the LNT model and NCRP Commentary 27 (2), ignoring the data and science that refutes just about everything the authors claim. It is important to point out that the second and third authors were members of the scientific committee that authored NCRP Commentary 27, yet they did not so disclose. On the contrary, the authors stated “they have no conflict of interest related to the material discussed” in their article, rendering this “opinion” piece at the very least misleading and of questionable utility.