ASCRO’s Response to NY Times Articles on Radiation Therapy Incidents

The American Society of Clinical Radiation Therapy (ASCRO) deeply regrets the loss of life and suffering of the patients who were injured in the radiation incidents recently reported in the New York Times.  We express our sympathy to the families who have lost loved ones and seen them suffer.  Our hearts also go out to all others who were involved in this tragedy and whose lives have been impacted, especially the radiation oncology physicists, therapists and physicians. 

ASCRO is a non-profit professional organization composed mainly of radiation oncology professionals (radiation oncology physicists and physicians) dedicated to improving the quality of patient care. Founded in February of 2009, ASCRO is working tirelessly to attain provider status for radiation oncology physicists.

Radiation Oncology Physicists

Radiation Oncology Physicists are highly qualified healthcare professionals responsible for the accurate and precise delivery of radiation dose as prescribed by the radiation oncology physician. Such responsibility requires a high degree of expertise in the physics and technology used to plan and deliver radiation treatments.

Provider Status to Improve Quality Care

Currently, radiation oncology physicists are recognized healthcare professionals by the American Board of Medical Specialties. They are also certified to practice their medical expertise by the American Board of Radiology as do their radiation oncology physician colleagues. Although quality radiation therapy treatment requires that both radiation oncology physicians and physicists bring their clinical, scientific and technical expertise for planning and delivery, the absence of provider status, and, in many cases, lack of medical staff membership for the physicist allows the treatment team and hospital administration to be less responsive to their recommendations than patient safety and treatment accuracy would dictate.

SUMMARY

The incidents reported by the New York Times articles are a reminder to all of us that with advanced technology comes enhanced risk of misadministration. Radiation oncology physicists are the pilots who guide radiation beams safely to the destination defined by the radiation oncologist.  If they are overworked and lack the necessary equipment and authority to do their work safely, tragedies are all but assured.  

Safety could be greatly enhanced by granting radiation oncology physicists provider status, the status enjoyed by all other medical specialists. 

ASCRO will therefore continue its strive for achieving provider status for radiation oncology physicists and the changes necessary to grant Mr. Jerome-Parks’ final wish of safer radiotherapy.  For more details, please visit our website at www.ascro.org.