HOSPITALS are places people go to get better, not to worry about what the building itself might be doing to their health.
So when a media report alleging radiation safety breaches at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre's Nuclear Medicine Unit went viral, it understandably sent staff and patients into a spin.
Did safety violations at UMMC's Nuclear Medicine Unit cause a cluster of cancer cases among its workers?
Verdict:
FALSE
Claims that a cancer cluster at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) Nuclear Medicine Unit was linked to radiation safety compliance issues have been found to be unsubstantiated, following investigations by the Health Ministry and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry said in a statement that findings by the Medical Radiation Regulatory Division (BKRP) and the Health Ministry showed no critical radiation safety violations related to the allegations.
The investigation was conducted under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 and the Atomic Energy Licensing (Amendment) Act 2025, which govern the use of radioactive materials and radiation generators.
Under the law, licensing authority for medical purposes falls under the Health Ministry's director-general, while non-medical uses fall under the director-general of the Department of Atomic Energy Malaysia (Atom Malaysia).
The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry stressed that Atom Malaysia and BKRP remained committed to ensuring the safety of radiation workers and the public, and that strict action would be taken against any individual or licensee found not complying with the relevant legislation and licence conditions.
Universiti Malaya (UM) also denied the allegations in a separate statement on April 17, acknowledging concerns among staff regarding serious health issues related to cancer diagnoses but stressing that the claims were untrue.
According to UM, Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) operations at the medical centre are conducted in accordance with strict safety standards, with radiation exposure levels continuously monitored and controlled, and all radiation workers required to wear personal dosimeters.
Source:
Bernama
