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Radiological Drug Research Committee (RDRC)

The Radioactive Drug Research Committee (RDRC) is required to evaluate and to approve or disapprove all research and developmental uses of radioisotopes on or in humans. The RDRC also serves as the Human Use Subcommittee of the Radiation Safety Committee (HUS). As required by Utah Division of Radiation Control, the HUS evaluates and approves or disproves all proposed uses of ionizing radiation sources on or in humans for investigational or non-routine clinical procedures.

Studies involving the use of ionizing radiation - if the study involves the use of radioactive isotopes, or x-rays (i.e., oncology, radiology, CT, bone densitometry) that are in any way a result of participation in the study - must be approved by the Radioactive Drug Research Committee - Human Use Subcommittee of the Radiation Safety Committee (RDRC-HUS), as well as the IRB. Note that a quantitative statement regarding the risk relative to exposure to ionizing radiation must be included in the consent form.  Applications for the use of ionizing radiation sources in human research studies from the Veterans' Administration Medical Center (VAMC) also are reviewed by the University's RDRC-HUS.  Approval from RDRC-HUS must be received before the IRB will give final approval for a study.

Application forms are submitted to the RDRC-HUS for use of radioactive drugs, diagnostic external radiation, and therapeutic ionizing radiation in human research studies. Each proposed research study must have a Responsible User (RU) who has a Clinical Radiation Use Application on file with the Radiological Health Department. The RU is not required to be the Principal Investigator (PI) of the research study, but is the individual responsible for ensuring safe use of ionizing radiation sources in the research study. Assistance with obtaining appropriate dose estimates is available from the physicist associated with the Department where the ionizing radiation will be used.

If you have specific questions regarding the use of radioactive materials on humans, you can contact the Radiological Health Department at 581-6141. For more information, please visit http://www.rso.utah.edu/using/human.html.