Use of nuclear energy to treat blood has updated standards

Blood centers, hospitals and health units that carry out irradiation of blood and blood components, a practice that prevents diseases resulting from transfusions, will now have to comply with new requirements to be licensed. The measures that update the standards established by Cnen (National Nuclear Energy Commission) were published on Tuesday (2.Jan.2024) on Official Diary of the Union.

Irradiation of blood and blood components is a procedure carried out after donation for transfusion. Equipment subjects the blood to ionizing radiation from different sources, including cesium-137, with the aim of avoiding immunological responses in the recipient. This equipment is safe for both the professionals who operate it and the environment, but it requires training, monitoring, methods for operation and transportation, requirements such as rigorous quality control and a plan for emergency situations.

To update these standards, Cnen was based on the technical recommendations of the Aiea (International Atomic Energy Agency), in addition to submitting the change to a public consultation, which was available on the Participa +Brasil platform from April 17 to May 31, 2024 and received 145 contributions.

With the new standards, to license the installation of irradiation of blood and blood components, five types of authorization were established for the purposes of construction, modification of items important to safety, acquisition or movement of sources, operation and removal from operation. Each establishment will have to obtain at least three authorizations depending on the type of radiation source or generator used.

All the steps and documentation necessary to acquire authorizations were established by the new rules and are already in force. According to the publication, the standards affect any action involving the practice of irradiating blood and blood components, therefore equipment manufacturers, research laboratories and maintenance services will also have to be licensed.

With information from Brazil Agency.