Health Canada recently announced a lowering of the Canadian guideline for indoor exposure to radon. This reduction was the result of new information that indicates the health risk of radon-induced lung cancer occurs at lower levels of exposure than previously thought. Health Canada is embarking on a public awareness campaign to educate homeowners about the health risks of radon exposure, and to encourage them to conduct an inexpensive home test to see if their home levels are higher than the new guideline.

As a health professional, your patients may ask you about the health risks of radon, and the need to test their homes. This fact sheet provides you with some information you can use to answer their questions.