Source: Fox News
Summary
A new Harvard study suggests that flight attendants and pilots in the U.S. face a higher risk of radiation-related cancer deaths due to exposure to cosmic radiation while flying. The study analyzed data from over 13 million U.S. death certificates between 2020 and 2024 and found that pilots and flight attendants had “statistically significantly” higher mortality rates linked to certain types of cancers, including breast cancer, central nervous system cancers, prostate cancers, and melanoma. The researchers concluded that airline workers receive about 3 to 6 millisieverts of cosmic radiation per year, compared to 0.4 millisieverts for someone who takes 10 round-trip cross-country flights.
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This guidance has been heard before.
Studies have long suggested that flight attendants and pilots may face increased cancer risks due to cosmic radiation exposure. The new Harvard study adds to this body of research, highlighting the need for further investigation into the health effects of frequent flying. The study’s findings could lead to increased cancer screenings for U.S. pilots and flight attendants. However, the study’s limitations, including its observational design and lack of individual radiation exposure data, mean that more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between cosmic radiation and cancer risk.
The advice sounds familiar: “We need more research.”
Author: Evan Null
