Part 1/6:
The Deadly Flaw in the Therac-25 Radiation Therapy Machine
In the mid-1980s, a series of radiation-related injuries and deaths shook the medical community. At the heart of these tragedies was a revolutionary radiation therapy machine called the Therac-25, developed by the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) company.
The Therac-25 was a groundbreaking device that combined two types of radiotherapy - x-ray and electron therapy - in a single, more compact and cost-effective package. However, this innovation came at a price, as the machine's reliance on software control over hardware interlocks would prove to be its fatal flaw.
The Incident at the East Texas Cancer Treatment Center