The role of the hospital radiopharmacy in a climate of frustration and delay

Government regulations in Australia have resulted in delays of three to four years before new radiopharmaceuticals are made available. The physical danger to patients receiving products containing inferior radionuclides and the management of patients scanned with inferior products are discussed. The author recommends the establishment of at least one manufacturing radiopharmacy in each State and the faster release of new products by the introduction of a mechanism similar to the United States IND (Notice of Claimed Investigational Exemption for a New Drug)