Letters to the Editor
The Definition of Control Groups Is Inappropriate
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The authors did not consider the predominant direction of the wind for the nuclear power plant (NPP) under observation when determining the incidence of leukemias in children in their respective surroundings (1). Since radioactive particles from an NPP are carried away by winds, however, this would have been necessary. No malignant tumors caused by radioactive fallout of NPPs are to be expected in the opposite direction of the wind.
We do not think that the definition of the respective control group around an NPP, starting at a distance of 11 km, with the intervention/trial group ending at 10 km, was appropriate. Instead a population group should have been chosen that definitely resided outwith the radioactive fallout area—that is, notably further away than only 11 km.
A discussion of the notably higher incidence rates of leukemia around the NPPs in Greifswald and Krümmel is lacking.
Similarly, no discussion was included of the incidence rates of pediatric and adolescent leukemias in decommissioned NPPs, which were double those of still operational plants.
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2023.0282
Prof. Dr. med. Alfred Böcking, pathologist
Dr. med. Volker Siller, pediatrician
IPPNW Deutschland
alfred.boecking@web.de
| 1. | Russo A, Terracini B, Blettner M, Gianicolo E: The incidence of leukemia in children living near nuclear power plants in Germany (2004–2019)—a registry-based study. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2023; 120: 679–80 VOLLTEXT |
