A Nuclear Regulatory Commission advisory committee recently discussed how NRC can better navigate the growing market for the medical use of isotopes.
At NRC’s April 8 meeting, nuclear pharmacist Richard Green said the global market for theranostics, a branch of nuclear medicine that combines diagnostic imaging with targeted therapy using radioactive isotopes, is forecast to jump to $185.73 billion in 2029, up from $123.33 billion in 2025.
According to Green, there are around 38 companies conducting 45 clinical trial programs for therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, with several new radioisotopes being investigated during the trials.
During the meeting, members of NRC’s Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes said the current NRC regulations are sufficient but could cause licensing “bottlenecks” further down the road. This could hamper authorized users such as physicians, dentists or podiatrists.
Though the NRC makes the final decision on authorized users, advisory committee radiation oncologist Michael Folkert said general safety content and continuing medical education should be the responsibility of medical boards, accreditation councils and professional societies.
But Folkert recommended the NRC should be responsible for defining continuing medical education requirements for authorized users.
The advisory panel made recommendations, in conjunction with its Training and Experience subcommittee, aligned with the 2024 Advance Act, a law that pushes for the NRC to implement efficient and safe licensing for nuclear technology.
