From 20 December 2017, the Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC) Support Unit will no longer be accepting applications for new diagnostic or therapeutic certificates under the MARS Regulations.
This is to ensure that all applications can be processed prior to the repeal of MARS Regulations, due on 6 February 2018.
MARS will be replaced by the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2018 (IR(ME)R), due to come into force in England, Scotland and Wales on 6 February 2018.
A separate set of regulations applying the same licensing process will be introduced in Northern Ireland.
The new regulations will replace the current certification process for the administration of radioactive substances under MARS, and lead to changes in the way ARSAC handles applications.
Any new diagnostic or therapy applications received after 20 December will be returned.
The ARSAC Support Unit will continue to accept applications for site specific research certificates, transfers and renewals until 16 January 2018.
There is no deadline for research sponsor applications.
Further details on licensing and the applications process under IR(ME)R 2018 will shortly be available through the ARSAC website.