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	NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
	Office of Public Affairs	Telephone: 301/415-8200
	Washington, DC 20555-001	E-mail: opa@nrc.gov

No. 97-153

October 9, 1997

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will convene public workshops in Philadelphia and Chicago to obtain comments and recommendations on NRC's development of revisions to its regulations on medical uses of licensed radioactive material.

The Philadelphia workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on October 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on October 29, and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on October 30 at the Korman Suites Hotel, 2001 Hamilton Street.

The Chicago workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on November 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on November 13, and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on November 14 at the Ramada Congress Hotel, 520 South Michigan Avenue.

The NRC staff has developed alternative approaches for the more significant issues associated with regulation of medical uses of nuclear material. Specifically, alternative regulatory text has been developed for (1) the quality management program; (2) training and experience requirements for authorized users, radiation safety officers and medical physicists; (3) the radiation safety committee; (4) requirements for notifying patients regarding reportable events ; and (5) the threshold for reportable events. In addition, alternative recommendations for revision of NRC's 1979 medical policy statement have been developed. The staff has not yet settled on any alternatives and is open to additional alternatives that might be proposed. The workshop process is not intended to develop a consensus but to elicit comments.

To have a manageable discussion, the number of participants in each workshop must be limited, but the NRC will attempt to ensure participation by the broad spectrum of interests that may be affected by the rulemaking. Other members of the public will have the opportunity to comment at periodic intervals during the workshops. Questions about participation may be directed to the meeting facilitator, Francis X. Cameron, 301/415-1642.

Copies of the issue papers will be provided to workshop participants and made available for members of the public at the workshops. They are also available through the NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20555, telephone: 202/637-3273. They are posted on the Internet at the following address: http://techconf.llnl.gov/noframe.html.

The NRC invites public comments during development of the proposed rule. The comments should be submitted by March 1 to the Secretary, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff.