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NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION II 61 Forsyth Street, Suite 23T85, Atlanta, GA 30303

NRC PROPOSES $2,750 CIVIL PENALTY AGAINST DOCTOR IN PUERTO RICO FOR VIOLATION OF NRC REGULATORY SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed a $2,750 civil penalty against Dr. Roberto Buxeda-Dacri, M.D., of Santurce, Puerto Rico for violation of NRC safety requirements involving failure to perform required periodic leak tests of the radioactive source in a device used in the medical treatment of eye conditions.

NRC officials said Dr. Buxeda-Dacri was cited by the agency for this same violation during the last three NRC inspections at his facility, demonstrating what they termed a careless disregard for NRC requirements. The NRC said the fourth occurrence of the violation indicated that it was of a willful nature and that the civil penalty was proposed as a result.

The device, called an eye applicator, is used in the medical treatment of eye conditions and contains a radioactive source of approximately 31 millicuries of Strontium-90. A leak test performed after the NRC's May 2 identification of the violation confirmed the absence of any leakage and that the violation did not result in any actual safety consequences.

The licensee has 30 days from receipt of the Notice of Violation to either pay the civil penalty or to protest its imposition, in whole or in part.

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