Nuclear pharmacy

What is a radiopharmaceutical?

• radioactive drugs and chemical products used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes

When is a nuclear pharmacist not needed?

• if a hospital has <250 beds with a nuclear department

• has a nuclear medicine board certified radiologist on staff who is licensed by the state to handle radioactive materials

Who must conduct all radiopharmaceutical compounding and dispensing?

• a licensed nuclear pharmacist

Can licensed pharmacist and licensed interns/externs compound and dispense radiopharmaceutical without being licensed as nuclear pharmacist?

• Yea, under the direct supervision of a nuclear pharmacist

Requirements for licensure as a nuclear pharmacist:

• a pharmacist with current pharmacist licensure in GA

• submit a completed application fee, and affidavit of training and experience

• meet one of the following requirements:

  • certified as a nuclear pharmacist by the Board of Pharmaceutical specialties or

  • completed at least 200 contact hours of didactic instruction in nuclear pharmacy from ACPE accredited college of pharmacy and 500 hours of clinical training in nuclear pharmacy

Requirements for a pharmacy to become a nuclear pharmacy:

• governing board of the facility must submit an application

• separate applications/permits required for each pharmacy on separate premises, even owned by the same person or corporation

• must be inspected prior to licensure being granted

• license must be renewed on June 30 of the even numbered years

True/False: Does the PIC of the nuclear pharmacy be licensed as a nuclear pharmacist

• True, they must be licensed as a nuclear pharmacist

How can radiopharmaceutical be dispensed?

• on dispensed pursuant to a prescription drug orders by a practitioner authorized to possess, use, and administer radioactive materials

What is the minimum space requirements for nuclear pharmacy?

• 600 square feet

What additional equipment other than required equipment in all pharmacies must nuclear pharmacies have?

• dose calibrator

• vertical laminar flow hood

• single or multi channel scintillation analyzer

• microscope or hemocytometer

• adequate glassware, utensil, and gloves

• calculator

• incubator

• water or oil bath

How must nuclear drugs be transported?

• in a unit dose transport containers with:

  • tamper evident seals

  • effective mechanism to avoid radioactive contamination

  • effective mechanism to prevent contamination with blood, bodily fluids, or other biohazards

How must the inner container of nuclear drugs be labeled?

• RX number

• name of radioactive drug

How must the outer container of a nuclear drug be labeled?

• name of radionuclide

• chemical form

• amount of radioactive material

• volume

• calibration time and date

• for physician only in absence of pharmacist

• name and address of administering institution

• expiration date/time of drug

• auxiliary instructions

• name of procedure where drug is to be used

• prescriber’s name

• standard radiation symbol

• caution radioactive material

What references must be available in the nuclear pharmacy?

• USP/NF

• hard copy/electronic access to laws and regulations related to practice in GA

• minimum of 3 texts related to nuclear medicine

• current department of human resources rules and regulations for radioactive materials