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Nuclear Medicine Clarification Act of 2025
4/11/2025, 8:06 AM
Summary of Bill HR 2541
The main goal of the bill is to ensure that patients are not exposed to excessive levels of radiation during nuclear medicine procedures, which can have harmful effects on their health. By requiring the NRC to update their regulations, the bill aims to improve safety standards and reduce the risk of unintended radiation exposure for patients.
In addition to protecting patients, the bill also aims to enhance transparency and accountability within the nuclear medicine industry. By requiring the NRC to revise their regulations, the bill will help ensure that healthcare providers are following proper safety protocols and that patients are fully informed about the risks associated with these procedures. Overall, Bill 119 HR 2541 seeks to prioritize patient safety and ensure that individuals undergoing nuclear medicine procedures are not put at unnecessary risk of radiation exposure. By updating regulations and promoting greater transparency, the bill aims to improve the overall quality of care in the nuclear medicine industry.
Congressional Summary of HR 2541
Nuclear Medicine Clarification Act of 2025
This bill requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to revise its regulations so that health care providers must report to the NRC when a dose of a radioactive drug caused by an extravasation exceeds specified quantities. An extravasation generally means the unintentional presence of a radioactive drug in the tissue surrounding the blood vessel following an injection.
Under the NRC’s current regulations, health care providers licensed by the NRC to use radioactive materials must submit a report to the NRC for any instance, known as a medical event, where the administered dose of a radioactive drug exceeds specified quantities or criteria.
In 2024, the NRC published a draft proposed rule that would add an extravasation as a medical event that must be reported. The draft proposed rule’s reporting threshold is based on a physician’s determination that the administration results or may potentially result in a radiation injury from an extravasation. The reporting threshold proposed by the NRC does not contain a quantified dose.
The bill requires the NRC to revise its regulations to add an extravasation as a medical event that must be reported, and it additionally requires the reporting threshold to be based on quantified doses (as specified in the bill).
