Virginia Code 54.1-3410.1: Requirements for radiopharmaceuticals
A. A pharmacist who is authorized by the Board and acting in good faith, may sell and dispense radiopharmaceuticals pursuant to the order of a physician who is authorized by state or federal law to possess and administer radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment or diagnosis of disease.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 54.1-3410.1
- Administer: means the direct application of a controlled substance, whether by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or any other means, to the body of a patient or research subject by (i) a practitioner or by his authorized agent and under his direction or (ii) the patient or research subject at the direction and in the presence of the practitioner. See Virginia Code 54.1-3401
- Board: means the Board of Pharmacy. See Virginia Code 54.1-3401
- Dispense: means to deliver a drug to an ultimate user or research subject by or pursuant to the lawful order of a practitioner, including the prescribing and administering, packaging, labeling, or compounding necessary to prepare the substance for that delivery. See Virginia Code 54.1-3401
- Person: means both the plural and singular, as the case demands, and includes an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental agency, trust, or other institution or entity. See Virginia Code 54.1-3401
- Prescriber: means a practitioner who is authorized pursuant to §§ 54. See Virginia Code 54.1-3401
- Radiopharmaceutical: means any drug that exhibits spontaneous disintegration of unstable nuclei with the emission of nuclear particles or photons and includes any non-radioactive reagent kit or radionuclide generator that is intended to be used in the preparation of any such substance, but does not include drugs such as carbon-containing compounds or potassium-containing salts that include trace quantities of naturally occurring radionuclides. See Virginia Code 54.1-3401
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
B. When an authorized nuclear pharmacist dispenses a radioactive medical material, he shall assure that the outer container (shield) of the radiopharmaceutical shall bear the following information:
1. The name and address of the nuclear pharmacy;
2. The name of the prescriber (authorized user);
3. The date of dispensing;
4. The serial number assigned to the radiopharmaceutical order;
5. The standard radiation symbol;
6. The name of the diagnostic procedure;
7. The words “Caution: Radioactive Material”;
8. The name of the radionuclide;
9. The amount of radioactivity and the calibration date and time;
10. The expiration date and time;
11. In the case of a diagnostic radiopharmaceutical, the patient’s name or the words “Per Physician’s Order”; and
12. In the case of a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical, the patient’s name.
C. Orders for radiopharmaceuticals, whether written or verbal, shall include at least the following information:
1. The name of the institution or facility and the name of the person transmitting the order;
2. The date that the radiopharmaceutical will be needed and the calibration time;
3. The name or generally recognized and accepted abbreviation of the radiopharmaceutical;
4. The dose or activity of the radiopharmaceutical at the time of calibration; and
5. In the case of a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical or a radiopharmaceutical blood product, the name of the patient shall be obtained prior to dispensing.
2000, c. 861.