The World Health Organisation (WHO) is extending its collaboration with the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) to include the areas of ionising and non-ionising radiation. The mission spectrum with which the BfS is actively integrated as a recognised international collaborating centre in the work of the WHO is being expanded from three to five areas. “I am delighted by this development. It’s a clear indication that the WHO continues to regard the BfS as a competent scientific partner of international standing”, commented BfS president Wolfram König. First selected as a WHO collaborating centre in 2006, the BfS will continue its work over the next three years as partner to the United Nations co-ordinating body for public health. In addition to its existing foci on electromagnetic and UV radiation (which in future will be referred to jointly as non-ionising radiation) and radon, the BfS will from now on be co-operating with the WHO in the areas of medical radiation protection, radiation risk research and biological dosimetry. König: “Thanks to the WHO’s endorsement the BfS can play a major role - on Germany’s behalf - in improving the radiation protection of man and the environment at an international level.”

"Radiation risks associated with low doses” is also one of the five areas where the BfS is actively integrated in the work of the WHO. In this instance the BfS is to research with other international partners aspects such as the sensitivity of individuals to radiation. At the same time the idea is also to encourage and support young scientists in the area of radiation research at an international level.

The brief of the "biological dosimetry network" is to improve the biological methods used to determine doses. This is especially crucial in emergency situations if no physical readings are available. The aim is to establish an international network that can act quickly should an accident occur.

The "non-ionising radiation” area is the result of combining two existing projects. These focused on the potential impact on health of low and high frequency electromagnetic fields within currently accepted limits and the potential for environmental damage caused by ultra-violet (UV) radiation. Among other things the new project aims to prepare and publish existing findings in a manner accessible to the general public.

In addition to the health risks of UV radiation, the population also tends to underestimate the cancer risk associated with the naturally occurring gas radon. With its project "Communicating the risk of radon” the BfS is looking to elucidate the dangers and propose suitable measures for minimising risk. "Medical exposure to radiation" on the other hand will aim to optimise radiation protection during medical applications that use ionising radiation. The project will particularly focus on the increasing use of computer tomography (CT). All five projects aim to provide a scientific assessment of the potential and existing risks to health and the environment. The BfS will then issue behavioural recommendations for the general public on the basis of its findings.

In its capacity as collaborating partner the BfS compiles representative data based on the population of Germany for the WHO. Furthermore the BfS initiates and co-ordinates research projects for the WHO aimed at clarifying unanswered scientific questions related to health aspects. The BfS hosts scientific conventions, publishes research results and supports the WHO, e.g. in the development of intelligible information material, especially those publications aimed at children and young people.