A phase-locked loop circuit compares the waveforms of input and reference electrical signals in terms of their frequency and phase. This type of circuit uses electronic feedback to adjust the frequency and phase of the input signal to match the properties of the reference signal. The frequency of changes to international radiation protection recommendations is often different from the frequency of their implementation into national legislation. There is also what could be viewed as a phase lag in this system that occurs because of a natural resistance to change. This is much like capacitive reactance in an A-C circuit. Perhaps an analogue of the phase-locked loop circuit can be developed and applied to the implementation of international radiation protection recommendations and regulations. International agencies, commissions and organisations develop and promulgate documents dealing with radiation protection and radiation protection dosimetry. Many countries have representatives taking part in the activities of the various organisations, and some but not necessarily all of those countries incorporate the jointly developed recommendations and standards into their national legislation. The fact that there is a phase shift or time lag between recommendation development and incorporation into national legislation is well known. A change to national legislation will obviously take time, and if the frequency of the recommendation-change-function differs from the frequency of the legislation-change-function there may be interference resulting in amplitude fluctuations. Phase differences between the two functions can lead to destructive interference resulting in a decrease in amplitude. The amplitude in this analogy might be imagined as the efficiency in implementing the recommendations. This is where the phase-locked loop circuit would be useful to harmonise the implementation of radiation protection recommendations into national legislation. Unfortunately, the two change functions are certainly fictitious and do not act as if they were electrical waves.