Update, May 2007
Since the beginning of 2007, there has been continued pressure on the European Commission from medics, academics, parliamentarians, government and industry to seek a resolution on the Physical Agents Directive and its impact on MRI.
The Director Generals of DG Employment (who are responsible for the Directive) and DG Sanco (the health Directorate) recently jointly wrote to member governments to say that:
- they understand that there is a problem with the Directive regarding MRI
- they are waiting to see data from studies that are assessing the extent to which current clinical use of MRI exceeds the limits as set out in the Directive
- if the data suggest that there is a problem they will be prepared to address it, not excluding a proposal to amend the Directive
The preliminary results of two studies that are awaiting peer review suggest that the limits the Directive imposes are too low and are being routinely broken by MRI scanners in clinical and research settings.
The results of the study commissioned from Professor Crozier by the UK HSE will be in the public domain in May, and we expect a response from the Commission soon after.
Last updated: May 03 2007