AERB cracks the whip
An inspection conducted by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) in 28 nuclear medicine units in the country over the past two years has revealed that safety norms are being openly flouted in all of them.
The inspection was carried out in Chennai, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Ludhiana, Madurai and Tirupati. The AERB suspended the operation of one unit indefinitely and that of three others for periods up to three months. Officials say that work at these units was stalled due to lack of adequate facilities for high-dose therapy used for the treatment of thyroid cancer. "Such medicines have to be handled by trained personnel and also require protective accessories,' explains K S Parthasarathy, secretary, AERB. He adds that after administering the medicine the patient has to be confined to an isolated room to prevent others from being exposed to radiation.
However, the inspectors found this rule to be increasingly violated. Besides unqualified personnel, patients were also found to be mingling with others.