Childhood leukemia incidence in the vicinity of La Hague nuclear-waste reprocessing facility (France).

The incidence of leukemia is examined in young people (aged under 25 years) living within a 35 km radius of the French nuclear-waste reprocessing plant operating in La Hague, Normandy. During the period 1978-90, a total of 23 cases was diagnosed, giving an incidence rate of 2.99 per 100,000 which is close to the expected rate. In the 'canton' in which the nuclear plant is located, three cases of leukemia were observed compared with 1.2 expected, giving a standardized incidence ratio of 2.5. This nonsignificant finding is compatible with no increased risk and also with a sevenfold excess risk. Therefore, it reinforces the necessity of conducting a case-control survey, which is now planned, to assess the part played by occupational radiation exposure in leukemia incidence for this French area.

[Computerized medical records. The experience of the François Baclesse Center]. / Le Dossier Médical informatisé. L'expérience du Centre François Baclesse.

Information regarding the patient needs to be known before all consultations or treatment. There may only be one medical file in which this information is contained and hence there are problems regarding storage and transport which slow down the diagnostic process and treatment. The replacement of this file on paper by a completely computerised record file (observations, laboratory results, hospital reports) allows instantaneous consultation and access to such a record. For the last two years the traditional paper file has been replaced by more than 130 terminals distributed throughout this establishment. Additional functions may be added (statistics, internal information, etc...).