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The Florida Advisory Council on Radiation Protection has unanimously decided to support Target Safely, the patient protection plan from American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO).

ASTRO's Board of Directors developed Target Safely after a systemic review of the Society's patient safety and quality assurance projects, which began as part of the Board's winter meeting January 28-31, 2010. The goal of the plan is to improve safety and quality and reduce the chances of medical errors.

"The Florida Bureau of Radiation Control and the Advisory Council on Radiation Protection are pleased to endorse ASTRO's Target Safely plan," William Passetti, chief of the Florida Department of Heath Bureau of Radiation Control, said. "We are always looking for partners to work with to help reduce any unnecessary radiation exposure to people in Florida and feel this plan is an important piece toward that end."

Many of the 11 million cancer survivors alive today have benefited from radiation therapy. While all forms of cancer treatment have some inherent risks, when properly used radiation therapy has been, and will continue to be, an essential part of cancer therapy. Recent technological advances have made it possible to precisely define the targets and eliminate tumors while sparing healthy, normal tissue and minimizing side effects. The radiation treatments given today, whether alone or in combination with chemotherapy and surgery, are safer, more accurate and more effective than treatments that were given just 10 or 20 years ago. More and more patients are winning their battles with cancer and going on to lead healthy and productive lives.

The Florida Advisory Council on Radiation Protection is made up of professionals responsible for various radiological issues, including representatives of the nuclear power industry, environmental scientists concerned with naturally occurring sources of radiation exposure and numerous representatives from the medical community. It meets twice a year to make recommendations to Florida Department of Health.

`Source: American Society for Radiation Oncology