Online ‘Tool Kit’ Helps Physicians
Respond to Radiation Incidents

A new Web site to help physicians and other health personnel respond to a radiation incident has been introduced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  ASBMT and the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) provided substantial input, particularly with diagnostic and patient management guidelines.

Entitled the Radiation Event Medical Management (REMM) Web site, the online presentation includes downloadable easy-to-follow procedures for diagnosis and management of radiation contamination and exposure, guidance for the use of radiation medical countermeasures, and a variety of other features related to  medical response.  The Web address is http://REMM.NLM.GOV.

“The REMM tool kit is part of our effort to improve public health emergency preparedness and response,” HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said in announcing the Web site.  “It reflects the department’s commitment to help instill a spirit of preparedness throughout our nation.”

The Web site materials provide guidance on diagnosis and treatment by describing:

·     types of radiation emergencies health professionals may face

·     initial medical actions at the incident site or medical facility

·     key steps in patient care

"The information is presented in a format that can quickly and efficiently orient and guide health care providers during a mass casualty radiation event such as a nuclear explosion, reactor accident, terrorist radiological dispersal or a nuclear fuel transportation accident," said Dr. Nelson Chao, ASBMT past president who led the society's work on the tool kit. 

"The guidelines and materials are designed not just for emergency responders such as police, rescue and emergency room personnel, but also for physicians and other health professionals to whom patients may be referred,” he said.

Dr. Daniel Weisdorf, NMDP scientific director, added that “in addition to having online access, federal, state and local medical response teams will be able to download REMM information onto laptop computers for quick access when deployed to a radiation incident or for training sessions.  Users can also register for automatic e-mail updates whenever information is changed or added to the REMM Web site.”

He said that future plans include formatting the REMM material for use on Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices, additional multimedia graphics and more topic areas, such as follow-up patient care of radiation’s chronic effects.

In addition to the ASBMT and NMDP representatives, the Web site development team included personnel from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, the NIH National Cancer Institute and the National Library of Medicine, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.