Canada Safe Imaging To Address Radiation Safety

Canada is the latest country to set up an initiative to address radiation safety, with the announcement of Canada Safe Imaging. A coalition of key stakeholders is working on the formal launch of Canada Safe Imaging in the coming months, to address the need for a national strategy and action plan relating to radiation safety for medical imaging care in Canada,

The delivery of healthcare in Canada is a provincial responsibility, but a focused national strategy and a unified effort is needed to ensure radiation safety in medical imaging for all Canadians. Canada Safe Imaging will develop awareness and adoption of current and emerging radiation patient protection strategies for Canadians and, amongst other activities, promote needed research. Agencies, professional associations, universities, colleges, national research institutions and hospitals will all be invited to participate.

One impetus for this new Canadian initiative was to align with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative, supported by 77 countries and 16 organizations, titled the “Bonn Call-for-Action,” which outlines 10 major strategies for promoting radiation protection.

For more information, please contact Prof. David Koff, McMaster University.