Bioassay Exemption?

[Chris Alston <alstonc@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu>]

>Content-Disposition: inline
>Date:         Sun, 8 Feb 1998 22:09:57 -1000
>Reply-To: Medical Physics Mailing List <MEDPHYS@LISTS.WAYNE.EDU>
>Sender: Medical Physics Listserver <medphys@lists.wayne.edu>
>From: SCOTT DUBE <SDUBE@QUEENS.ORG>
>Subject:      Bioassay Exemption?
>To: Multiple recipients of list MEDPHYS <MEDPHYS@LISTS.WAYNE.EDU>
>
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>In June 1997, there were several postings on MEDPHYS regarding the
>revised NRC regulation permitting immediate release of I-131 patients
>receiving therapeutic dosages.  We are about to implement that option.
>
>As I read 10 CFR 35, it seems we do not need to perform bioassays for
>the nuclear medicine staff administering these dosages provided the
>patient is not hospitalized.  Consider the following:
>
>10 CFR 35.315(a) says, "For each patient ... receiving
>radiopharmaceutical therapy and hospitalized for compliance with 35.75
>of this chapter, a licensee shall:......
>
>(8)  "Measure the thyroid burden of each individual who helped ...
>administer a dosage of I-131 within three days after administering the
>dosage..."
>
>But 35.75 has been revised to allow the release of therapy patients.
>Does that mean bioassays are only required when the therapy patient is
>hospitalized?
>
>Is anybody from the NRC on MEDPHYS?  Or have any subscribers
>already addressed this question?  Please let us know.  Thanks.
>