From:	Pomije, Brian D. (LCDR)
Sent:	Thursday, June 16, 2005 9:57 AM
To:	Burke, Gerald; Carter, Darron H., LTjg; Casey, Richard W. LCDR; Clark, Dorothy M. (CIV); Ely, Karen D. (CIV); Fairchild Gregory R LT; Giel, Daniel T. (CIV); Hecht, Sheila C , LCDR; Herrera, Mark E; Hope, Lawanda P. HM1; Johnson, Gabrielle M.; Kennemur, Lisa K LCDR; LaFontaine, Richard L CT; Loscocco, Michele F (CDR); McFadden, Anthony E LTJG; Pomije, Brian D. (LCDR); Scott, John H., CIV.; Shumaker, Debbie J. (LCDR); Simays, Andrew E., CDR; Solanki, Haresh P; Swilley, Eugene A. (LT); Torres, Freddy H  LTJG; Tu, Victor LT; Van Way, Rick L (LCDR); Williams, Anthony S. (LCDR); Younes, Georges  E LCDR; Beecham, Harry J. CAPT NAMRU2; 'Hanan El Mohammady'; HMC (org account) Redona; Hoang, LongChau LT; Hodge, Jenny L. MSGT; Ratiwayanto, Sutanti (NAMRU2 Jakarta); safety_namru2@attglobal.net; Tomon, John LT
Cc:	Pomije, Brian D. (LCDR); Ely, Karen D. (CIV); Clark, Dorothy M. (CIV); Earles, Marvin R LCDR ; Fong, Raynard K. CAPT BUMED; Glennon, Brendan K. CDR BUMED; Jerry LCDR' 'Sanders (jerry.sanders@navy.mil); Lino CDR Fragoso (E-mail) (Lino.Fragoso@navy.mil)
Subject:	Security and Surveillance of Radioactive Materials
Security and Surveillance of Radioactive Materials
(This message should be presented to your Command's Radiation Safety Committee, and discussed for applicability to your Command.) 

To all Radiation Safety Officers and NRMP Permittees:

Recently at one of our medical facilities, a radiopharmaceutical vendor had removed from the facility and base without authorization, a package containing radiopharmaceuticals for a PET scan.  This is a very serious matter, and had the potential to be reportable to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and higher authority.  Fortunately, the radioisotope was Fluorine-18, which is accelerator-produced (not reactor byproduct material) and was in a quantity less than that required for formal notification to higher authority.  

For background info, the package containing the radioactive material had accidentally been delivered by the courier to the Navy medical facility earlier in the day, but had been intended for another hospital in the geographical area.  The vendor's courier was sent back to the Navy medical facility to retrieve the package and deliver it to the correct hospital.  However, this package had already been formally received by the Navy facility, and now was considered to be the property of the Navy permittee.  Any removal of the package from the facility would be considered a radioactive material shipment, and the Navy would therefore be the "shipper".  By the vendor taking the package without authorization, regulations regarding shipment of radioactive materials had been bypassed.  In addition, this became an issue involving the security and surveillance of radioactive materials and other controlled substances.

The incident occurred because the Navy technician that was with the vendor's delivery person, had left the person unattended with the RAM package while she left for no more than a couple minutes to consult with another staff member.  Even though the vendor was instructed to not leave, he took it upon himself to take the package and immediately leave the facility.

The take home message is that no unauthorized individual should be left unattended for any length of time, with access to any sealed or unsealed radioactive materials.  All radioactive materials shall be properly secured at all times when not being used, or shall be under continuous surveillance by authorized staff members.

Very Respectfully,

LCDR Pomije

Brian D. Pomije, MS, DABR
Lieutenant Commander, Medical Service Corps, USN
Radiation Health Team Leader
Navy Environmental Health Center
620 John Paul Jones Circle (Suite 1100)
Portsmouth, VA 23708-2103

W: (757) 953-0766; DSN: 377-0766
Cell: (757) 651-2814
Fax: (757) 953-0685