ML23303A027
| ML23303A027 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/16/2023 |
| From: | Kevin Williams NRC/NMSS/DMSST |
| To: | Brian Wagner American Board of Radiology |
| References | |
| Download: ML23303A027 (4) | |
Text
November 16, 2023 The American Board of Radiology ATTN: Brent Wagner, M.D.
Executive Director 5441 E. Williams Circle Tucson, AZ 85711-7412
SUBJECT:
AMERICAN BOARD OF RADIOLOGY, LETTER OF DISCONTINUATION OF THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION RECOGNITION OF CERTIFICATION PROCESSES
Dear Dr. Brent Wagner:
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has discontinued its recognition of the American Board of Radiologys (ABR) certification processes for all certifications granted after December 31, 2023. By letter dated April 6, 2022 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession Number ML22091A272), you informed the NRC of the boards intent to discontinue maintaining NRC recognition of all currently recognized ABR certification processes after December 31, 2023.
The NRC acknowledged receipt of this letter on July 27, 2022 (ML22145A554), confirming the date that ABR had identified for terminating NRC recognition. The NRC held a public meeting on September 12, 2023, to provide information on the ABR decision to stop maintaining NRC recognition of its certification processes that met the training and experience requirements and to provide information on how affected individuals seeking to become Authorized Individuals in the future can apply for authorization (ML23283A056). The NRC plans to issue an Information Notice in December 2023 to inform licensees, Agreement State Radiation Control programs, and other stakeholders about the discontinuation of the NRCs recognition of the American Board of Radiology (ABR) certification processes and to remind addressees about the existing pathways for authorization under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 35, Medical Use of Byproduct Material. The NRC will continue to recognize ABR certification processes until December 31, 2023, and will not recognize ABR certifications issued after that date. This discontinuation is per the request of ABR and is not a result of NRC-identified insufficiencies in the certification processes.
After December 31, 2023, the NRC will not recognize the ABR certification processes associated with the following six ABR specialty areas:
(1) The Diagnostic Radiology certification process will not be recognized by the NRC as satisfying 10 CFR 35.290, "Training for imaging and localization studies; 10 CFR 35.392, Training for the oral administration of sodium iodide I-131 requiring a written directive in quantities less than or equal to 1.22 gigabecquerels (33 millicuries); and 10 CFR 35.394, Training for the oral administration of sodium iodide I-131 requiring a written directive in quantities greater than 1.22 gigabecquerels (33 millicuries).
B. Wagner 2 (2) The Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology certification process will not be recognized by the NRC as satisfying 10 CFR 35.290 and 10 CFR 35.394.
(3) The Radiation Oncology certification process will not be recognized by the NRC as satisfying 10 CFR 35.390, "Training for use of unsealed byproduct material for which a written directive is required; 10 CFR 35.392; 10 CFR 35.394; 10 CFR 35.490, Training for use of manual brachytherapy sources; and 10 CFR 35.690, Training for use of remote afterloader units, teletherapy units, and gamma stereotactic radiosurgery units.
(4) The Diagnostic Medical Physics certification process will not be recognized by the NRC as satisfying 10 CFR 35.50, Training for Radiation Safety Officer and Associate Radiation Safety Officer.
(5) The Nuclear Medical Physics certification process will not be recognized by the NRC as satisfying 10 CFR 35.50, Training for Radiation Safety Officer and Associate Radiation Safety Officer.
(6) The Therapeutic Medical Physics certification process will not be recognized by the NRC as satisfying 10 CFR 35.51, Training for an authorized medical physicist.
Individuals with certificates from the ABR prior to December 31, 2023, can continue to use the applicable NRC-recognized certificates to seek authorized individual approval on NRC or Agreement State licenses. Individuals may reference the NRC public website, Specialty Board Certifications Recognized by NRC under 10 CFR Part 35 (https://www.nrc.gov/materials/miau/med-use-toolkit/spec-board-cert.html) to determine whether an ABR specialty area is recognized by the NRC. The 7-year requirement in 10 CFR 35.59, Recentness of training, continues to apply to individuals with certification from ABR.
Individuals that receive ABR certificates after December 31, 2023, and are seeking to be identified as an Authorized User, Authorized Medical Physicist, Radiation Safety Officer or Associate Radiation Safety Officer on a license, may seek certification through a different NRC-recognized specialty board or provide documentation of the applicable training and experience to their employer or licensee. The licensee may provide the individuals training and experience records to the NRC or Agreement State to verify that the individual meets the NRC training and experience criteria for the uses requested.
In the future, ABR may re-apply for NRC recognition if it satisfies the NRC specialty board recognition criteria in 10 CFR Part 35, Medical Use of Byproduct Material.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, a copy of this letter, will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
B. Wagner 3 For further information or questions, please contact Maryann Ayoade at (301) 415-0862 or via email at Maryann.Ayoade@nrc.gov, or Jennifer Fisher at (301) 415-1456 or via email at Jennifer.Fisher@nrc.gov.
Signed by Williams, Kevin on 11/16/23 Kevin Williams, Director Division of Materials Safety, Security, State, and Tribal Programs Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
ML23303A027 OFFICE NMSS/MSST NMSS/MSST OGC NMSS/MSST NMSS/MSST NAME MAyoade C Valentin-Rodriguez Travis Jones C. Einberg K Williams DATE 11/14/23 11/15/23 11/13/23 11/16/23 11/16/23