Re: Shipping Question

["Carol S. Marcus" <csmarcus@ucla.edu>]

At 11:27 AM 6/25/02 -0600, Ed Stroud wrote:

>Here's a shipping question for those interested. (This is an actual

>incident)

>

>A licensed nuclear pharmacy uses a private courier service to deliver

>(and retrieve) unit doses and vials of medical isotopes to licensed

>hospitals outside of their normal service area.  An incident occurs

>where the courier, on a return trip from the hospital back to the

>pharmacy, deliberately abandons a box of this material in a parking lot.

>  A member of the public finds the box, which is marked and labeled per

>DOT, and contacts the hospital.  The box is eventually returned to the

>pharmacy.  Management at the hospital, nuclear pharmacy and the courier

>service are aware of the incident.

>

>Here are the questions.  Should this incident be reported to the

>authorities? Why/why not?  If yes, who do you think is responsible for

>reporting this incident to the authorities - the hospital, because they

>were the shipper; the pharmacy, because they paid for the courier

>service; or the courier service, because their driver abandoned the

>material. The hospital and the nuclear pharmacy have radioactive

>materials licenses.

>

>Comments/thoughts?

>

>Ed Stroud

>CDPHE

>ed.stroud@state.co.us

>

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Dear Radsafers:



The radiation risk from emptied syringes and vials of radiopharmaceuticals 

is zero, and isn't really worth a radiation regulator's time (unless he/she 

has nothing else to do).  The abandonment of used syringes in a public 

space has severe health care risks associated with it because of possible 

transmission of HIV, hepatitis B or C, or other infectious agents.



All of these 3 groups have a responsibility to report it to the local 

Health Department.  At the very least, the driver should be fired.  He may 

be charged with a crime, and fined, serve jail time, or be required to 

perform community service.  The nuclear pharmacy may elect to contract with 

another carrier.



Ciao, Carol

<csmarcus@ucla.edu>



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