A consensus conference on the medical management ofmass radiation accidents was held by the European Groupfor Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), theInstitute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (France)and the University of Ulm (Germany) at Vaux de CernayAbbey (France) on October 25–27, 2005.This consensus onthe diagnosis and treatment strategyintheeventofaccidentaloverexposuretoionisingradiationhasbeen established by a working group of 65 physicians andhealth ministryrepresentatives from the 25 European Unioncountrieswithrepresentationfromthefieldsofhaematology,radiopathologyanddosimetry.Theauthorsofthisconsensusconference report wish to acknowledge the competent andconstructive contribution of the following speakers anddiscussion group leaders who were extremely helpful inestablishing a common knowledge platform regarding theeffectsofradiationexposureonhumanbeingsandguidedthegroup discussions: Dr. M. Akashi (Japan), Dr. B. Allenet-Lepage (France), Dr. D. Blaise (France), Dr. J.F. Bottollier(France), Dr. A. Bushmanov (Russia), Dr. N. Chao (USA),Dr. J.M. Cosset (France), Dr. F. Frassoni (Italy), Dr. M.H.Gaugler (France), Dr. N. Griffiths (France), Dr. D. Lloyd(UK),Dr.A.Nikiforov(Russia),Dr.A.R.Oliveira(Brazil),I.B. Resnick (Israel), Dr. G. Seitz (Germany), Dr. J. Sierra(Spain) and Dr. Leif Stenke (Sweden).