Geraldine Thomas

Professor Geraldine "Gerry" Thomas is a senior academic at the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London. She is an active researcher in fields of tissue banking and molecular pathology of thyroid and breast cancer.[1] Thomas is also a science communicator and has written opinion editorial pieces and provided comment to the media following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.[2][3] In 2015 Thomas appeared in the TV documentary series Uranium - Twisting the Dragon's Tail and was called to appear before the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission in South Australia in October to answer the Commission's questions regarding the effects and threats of radiation.[4] Thomas made several predictions regarding cancer incidence in Japan following the Fukushima disaster. She told the Australian ABC in 2013:

"Following Fukushima I doubt that there’ll be any rise in thyroid cancers in Japan and this is simply because the amount of radio-iodine that was released post-Fukushima was much, much less than released post-Chernobyl. Absolutely if you look for a problem, especially if you’re using incredibly sensitive technique which is what the Japanese are actually doing, you will find something. You will find part of that problem and you have to be careful you don’t over interpret that and worry people unnecessarily”.[3]

Thomas has stated that fear of the effects of radiation can be harmful,[5] and has urged the media to report responsibly on the topic.[6] In 2011 she claimed that "the worst post-Chernobyl effects were the psychological consequences and this shouldn’t happen again".[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Home - Professor Geraldine Thomas". www.imperial.ac.uk. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  2. ↑ Thomas, Geraldine. "Look at the science – smoking and obesity are more harmful than radiation | Geraldine Thomas". the Guardian. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  3. 1 2 "Japan - The Next Wave - Foreign Correspondent - ABC". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  4. ↑ "PUBLIC SESSION AGENDA: TOPIC 11 – EFFECTS AND THREATS OF RADIATION" (PDF). Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  5. ↑ "Bangkok Post article". www.bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  6. ↑ "Gerry Thomas Highlights Misconceptions over Health Impacts of Nuclear Accidents". Youtube.com. United Nations University. 2015-10-22.
  7. ↑ ""We’ve got to stop these sorts of reports coming out" — Int’l conference warns that media talk of Fukushima health effects "may be harmful"". enenews.com. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
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