A nuclear pharmacy compounds and dispenses radioactive materials called radiopharmaceuticals that are used in nuclear medicine procedures. Nuclear pharmacists must be licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and undergo extensive training in compounding radiopharmaceuticals and radiation safety. They provide radioactive materials to hospitals, clinics, and physician offices to diagnose and treat medical conditions.

1. Nuclear Pharmacy
An Overview

2. Objectives
• Provide fundamental knowledge of a Nuclear
Pharmacy
• Identify the services a Nuclear Pharmacy
provides
• Identify what governmental entities regulate
Nuclear Pharmacies
• Discuss the role of the Massachusetts Board of
Pharmacy as it relates to regulating Nuclear
Pharmacies

3. Nuclear Pharmacy: What’s it All About
• Nuclear Pharmacies compound and dispense
radioactive materials(radiopharmaceuticals) for
use in nuclear medicine procedures
• Nuclear Pharmacists must be licensed by the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as an
Authorized user (AU)
• Nuclear medicine procedures are generally
performed in hospitals, clinics and in qualified
prescribers’ offices to diagnosis or treat various
medical conditions.

4. So What’s a Nuclear Pharmacist and
What do They do?

5. Nuclear Pharmacists Training
• Nuclear Pharmacists are extensively trained in
compounding radiopharmaceuticals and radiation
safety
• Authorized User training consists of a minimum of 700
hours of hands on experience and either 200 hours of
didactic training or Board Certification as described in
10 CFR 35.290 (a) (1) and competency sufficient to
function independently as an authorized user for
medical uses under 10 CFR 35.100 and 35.200
(http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-
collections/forms/nrc313a(aud).pdf)

6. What They Do