Because the withdrawal terms of the UK leaving the European Union are still unclear, practical advice about the supply of radiopharmaceuticals has been published.
Updated guidance for nuclear medicine teams has been written jointly by the UK Radiopharmacy Group, the British Nuclear Medicine Society, and the Royal College of Radiologists.
Key points:
- Changes to airfreight may mean some radioactive deliveries will be delayed by 24 hours, or may only be available on certain days.
- Increased industry overheads may lead to increased costs.
- It is important services have their own contingency plans to mitigate against delays or disruption.
- A no-deal Brexit does not apply to most PET-CT radiopharmaceuticals, which will continue to be delivered as usual. They are manufactured in cyclotrons in the UK, or are produced from generators that last for many months to years. However, some specialist PET-CT radiotracers may be affected.
- Liaise directly with your suppliers to find out whether you are likely to experience delays for individual products.
The guidance also contains information about procurement arrangements, patient appointment delays, timing of deliveries, prioritisation of clinical need, and imaging and non-imaging test considerations.