| Abstract: | The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations on human uses of byproduct material, to require specific medical licensees to (1) Measure the total activity of each radiopharmaceutical dosage, except those containing less than 10 microcuries or a pure beta-emitting radionuclide, before it is administered to a patient; (2) verify that smaller dosages contain less than 10 microcuries; and (3) keep a record of the measurements. The assary of each radiopharmaceutical dosage before it is administered to a patient is currently required as a condition for a specific license. Measurement of the total activity of radiopharmaceutical dosage helps to protect patients from unnecessary radiation resulting from errors in labeling, calculating or dispensing dosages. The purpose of this rulemaking is: (1) To simplify licensing by replacing a condition that appears in all medical licenses with one regulation, and (2) To enhance patient radiation safety by minimizing potential misadministrations caused by not measuring the patient dosage. |
