Did you know that even tobacco, medicine and toys are subject to monitoring?

The experience gained in the wake of the Chernobyl accident from the sometimes not well coordinated measuring activities in Germany induced both politicians and scientists to work for an extension of the radioactivity monitoring programmes so as to be able to detect all possible sources of anthropogeneous radioactivity and its effects on man. This goal of establishing a monitoring network as comprehensive as possible required that measuring tasks and competences of existing measuring centers were enlarged, and a new center was established in order to cover competences and product groups hitherto unconsidered. This new center was established as a department for radiation hygiene of the Federal Health Office and today is the the Federal Radiation Protection Office. It is responsible for monitoring tobacco products, consumer goods, and drugs and their source materials. (orig./VHE)