Value of the dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor
In plain words
Risk estimates from survivors of single sudden exposures are scaled down before being applied to slow exposures. The scaling number is chosen by committee rather than measured.
Precise statement
Determine the dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor, the ratio of risk per unit dose at high acute dose rate to that at protracted low dose rate, for solid cancer and for leukaemia separately. Values in use range from 1 to 2 (the ICRP uses 2, some bodies use 1). An answer is a measured value with uncertainty, per endpoint.
What would settle it
Direct comparison of risk coefficients between acutely exposed and chronically exposed cohorts with comparable dosimetry quality.
Status in the literature
Protracted-exposure cohorts reported risk coefficients comparable to acute ones, which would imply a factor near 1, against the protection value of 2.