The NRC’s MEDICAL CONSULTANT PROGRAM Michael Fuller Team Leader Medical Radiation Safety Team U.S. NRC August 26, 2015

Background/History The NRC Medical Consultants Program was established to provide physician and scientific consultants to supplement NRC staff NRC has utilized Medical Consultants for about 20 years NRC’s Medical Consultants are NRC employees

Why? NRC staff does not include physicians or enough clinically trained medical physicists NRC needs the clinical insights to understand and evaluate medical consequence

Current list of Medical Consultants NUCLEAR MEDICINE –Dr. Edward Silberstein RADIATION THERAPY –Dr. Subir Nag (brachytherapy) –Dr. Douglas Einstein (gamma knife, brachytherapy) ACMUI Members can also serve as Medical Consultants

Medical Consultant’s Role Participation in NRC inspections and investigations to determine the root cause of the radiation exposure incident and the nature and probable deterministic effects of the radiation exposure on the exposed person(s) Calculation of internal and external radiation doses, as necessary Evaluation of reports the licensee submits to NRC and to the exposed individual after a radiation exposure incident or medical event Provide technical support to NRC as necessary (e.g., rulemaking activities, validation and verification of research results).

Medical Consultant Program Issues Budget Annual financial disclosure Drug testing Enhancing the hiring process –Medical Consultant sub-specialties –Retaining Medical Consultants –Availability of Medical Consultants Agreement States participation

Medical Consultant Program Issues Do you know where we can find some top notch medical consultants?

NRC Medical Consultant Program Project Manager: Gretchen Rivera-Capella

QUESTIONS ?