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Optical Radiation > UV Radiation > The UV Alliance
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The UV Alliance
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The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, BfS) initiated an interdisciplinary UV Alliance of experts from science and medicine. This Alliance involves among others the Federal Centre for Health Education (Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung, BZgA) as well as professionals in radiation protection, cancer research and medicine from various organisations. Some of them have been advocating precautionary measures concerning the health risks of UV exposure for many years. The experts united in this UV Alliance jointly emphasize the prudent use of sun exposure.
Why an UV Alliance?As a result of natural and man-made UV radiation, about 195,000 people in Germany developed skin cancer in 2007. The number of new cases of skin cancer increases every year – it quadrupled during the past 40 years. For skin cancer prevention it is crucial to be aware of the risks associated with exposures to UV radiation and to apply adequate protection measures in everyday life.
Although there is evidence of health risks available in the population, appropriate UV protection is still not being used as a matter of course. Basic knowledge about risks of UV radiation is relatively widespread today due to the educational work of various organisations, but the risk is still underestimated.
Networking of stakeholders in UV protection as provided by the UV Alliance is an important step towards risk awareness. The common message “UV protection is a duty” promoted by many well-known organisations, institutions, associations and societies of science, medicine and politics has more impact than announcing the same message by single actors.
Raising awareness for health risks to ensure behaviour change The Alliance is aimed at unifying individual scientific specialties to provide consistent information not only on effective UV protection and prevention but also on the risks associated with careless exposure to UV radiation. Scientific results on and effects of UV radiation are consolidated by the Alliance, and information on health consequences will be given in plain language.
As a first step, the Alliance has developed a Flyer with the most important messages as to the effects of UV radiation and the necessary UV protection measures.
Further steps are planned to
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perform joint actions for the public in order to raise their awareness for health risks from UV radiation and to ensure a sustainable change in behaviour,
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jointly providing consistent information on, and recommendations for health-promoting UV protection behaviour,
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discuss current scientific results on UV radiation and their effect within the scope of scientific discussions.
UV Alliance Partners
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