Virginia Law

Except as provided in 12VAC5-481-1780, licensees shall require an authorized user (AU) of unsealed radioactive material for the uses authorized under 12VAC5-481-1920 to be a physician:

1. Who is certified by a medical specialty board whose certification process has been recognized by the NRC, the agency, or an agreement state. The names of board certifications that have been recognized by the NRC or an agreement state are posted on the NRC's Medical Uses Licensee Toolkit Web page; or

2. Who is an AU under 12VAC5-481-1980 and meets the requirements in subdivision 3 a (2) (g) of this section, or equivalent NRC or other Agreement state requirements; or

3. Who has:

a. Completed 700 hours of training and experience, including a minimum of 80 hours of classroom and laboratory training in basic radionuclide handling techniques applicable to the medical use of unsealed radioactive material for imaging and localization studies. The training and experience shall include at a minimum:

(1) Classroom and laboratory training in the following areas:

(a) Radiation physics and instrumentation;

(b) Radiation protection;

(c) Mathematics pertaining to the use and measurement of radioactivity;

(d) Chemistry of radioactive material for medical use; and

(e) Radiation biology; and

(2) Work experience, under the supervision of an authorized user who meets the requirements in this section, 12VAC5-481-1780, or 12VAC5-481-1980 and subdivision 3 a (2) (g) of this section, or equivalent NRC or other Agreement state requirements. An authorized nuclear pharmacist who meets the requirements of 12VAC5-481-1770 or 12VAC5-481-1780 may provide the supervised work experience in subdivision 3 a (2) (g) of this section. Work experience must involve:

(a) Ordering, receiving, and unpacking radioactive materials safely and performing the related radiation surveys;

(b) Performing quality control procedures on instruments used to determine the activity of dosages and performing checks for proper operation of survey meters;

(c) Calculating, measuring, and safely preparing patient or human research subject dosages;

(d) Using administrative controls to prevent a medical event involving the use of unsealed radioactive material;

(e) Using procedures to safely contain spilled radioactive material and using proper decontamination procedures;

(f) Administering dosages of radioactive drugs to patients or human research subjects; and

(g) Eluting generator systems appropriate for preparation of radioactive drugs for imaging and localization studies, measuring and testing the eluate for radionuclide purity, and processing the eluate with reagent kits to prepare labeled radioactive drugs; and

b. Obtained written attestation that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in subdivision 3 a of this section and is able to independently fulfill the radiation safety-related duties as an authorized user for the medical uses authorized under 12VAC5-481-1900 and 12VAC5-481-1920. The attestation must be obtained from either:

(1) A preceptor authorized user who meets the requirements in this section, 12VAC5-481-1780, or 12VAC5-481-1980 and subdivision 3 a (2) (g) of this section, or equivalent NRC or other agreement state requirements; or

(2) A residency program director who affirms in writing that the attestation represents the consensus of the residency program faculty where at least one faculty member is an authorized user who meets the requirements in this section, 12VAC5-481-1780, or 12VAC5-481-1980 and subdivision 3 a (2) (g), or equivalent NRC or other agreement state requirements and concurs with the attestation provided by the residency program director. The residency training must be approved by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Council on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association and must include training and experience specific in subdivision 3 a of this section.