In many countries, doctors use sterile medical care supplies, such as hypodermic syringes and needles, that are thrown away after only one clinical use. This is perhaps the most visible product of the growing use of the microbicidal effects of radiation to sterilize prepacked medical supplies. A wide variety of other materials are also sterilized in this way. To improve quality control of sterility, scientists collaborating in an IAEA co-ordinated research programme in the Asia and Pacific region have developed a set of technical procedures. The Agency has developed a code of practice for the radiation sterilization of disposable medical supplies.
Radiation also is used for cancer treatment.
A variety of techniques has been developed which is especially useful in developing countries, where hospital resources are often limited. One particularly successful development concerns a technique for the treatment of cervical cancer, which is prevalent in many developing countries. Radiation dosimetry One out of every three cancer patients receive radiation treatments. The dose of radiation each patient receives must be precise. National laboratories participating in the SSDL network can determine the accuracy of their own instruments and check instruments used in the field.