Use of ionising radiation on human subjects in medical research
Clause 22 of the (NSW) Radiation Control Regulation 2003 (Regulation) places limits on how much ionising radiation human subjects can receive during research, in accordance with the document published by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), Code of Practice for the Exposure of Humans to Ionizing Radiation for Research Purposes (RPS No. 8) (53kb, requires Adobe Acrobat)
This Code replaced Radiation Health Series No. 12, Administration of ionizing radiation to human subjects in medical research, of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC,1984).
In line with the requirements of the RPS No. 8, all scientific or research projects involving the use of ionising radiation on human subjects in NSW need to be approved by the appropriate Human Research Ethics Committee, constituted in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans (NHMRC, 1999).
For the purpose of the code an approved medical physicist means: a physicist who is accredited by the Australian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) or a person who is employed as a medical physicist with a minimum of five years experience where their duties included radiation safety.
Although applications for research are no longer required to be submitted to the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) for approval, OEH is still the regulatory authority responsible for ensuring compliance with the Code.
Page last updated: 05 May 2011
