As stated in the abstract regarding the use of effective dose, “Its use allows all radiation exposures from external and internal sources to be considered together and summed, relying on the assumptions of a linear-non-threshold dose-response relationship, equivalence of acute and chronic exposures at low doses or low dose rates...”. Both of these assumptions are false, therefore the effective dose quantity is not reliable. Furthermore, despite the somewhat cautious language about using this quantity for individual risk projections, these caveats are almost always disregarded particularly in radiation epidemiological studies. The effective dose quantity, while somewhat simple, leads to inaccurate conclusions about risk and facilitates irrational radiation phobia. It’s use should be discontinued.