title: Deficiencies in product labelling instructions and quality control directions for 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to identify deficiencies in product labelling instructions for reconstitution and in the quality control directions detailed in the technical leaflets (TLs) or summary product characteristic (SPC) sheets of commonly used technetium labelling cold kits.
  
  
  METHODS
  The reconstitution and quality control directions in 25 TLs/SPCs were evaluated to identify deficiencies, incompleteness, restrictions, errors, impracticability, and vagueness. In addition, their congruence with the statements given in the relative European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur. VII ed.) monography and diagnostic reference levels of Directive 97/43/EURATOM was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Deficiencies in information were scored and classified into five categories: 1, absent or incomplete; 2, restrictive; 3, inconsistent or wrong; 4, impractical; and 5, vague. In the 25 documents analyzed a total of 141 deficiencies were found (corresponding to 40.2% of the total scores assigned), and more frequently they pertained to quality control procedures (70.9%), followed by those related to quantitative composition (14.9%), preparation (8.5%), and particle size (5.7%). Nearly 80% of these deficiencies were classified as type 1 - that is, absent or incomplete information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The indications in TLs and SPCs should provide useful information for maintaining the quality and purity of the radiopharmaceutical preparation and ensure the safety level and effectiveness required by law. However, the instructions are often suboptimal or even erroneous, and consequently there are countless failures or difficulties, which represent an impediment to good laboratory practice. We believe that a 'smart' review of radiopharmaceutical documentation would be beneficial in order to align these indications to the real needs of the operators involved in routine in-house nuclear medicine practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncohaematology, Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS San Matteo Hospital Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Buroni
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lodola
authors.forename: Marco G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Persico
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aprile
mesh_terms: D004339:Drug Compounding; D004356:Drug Storage; D010316:Particle Size; D011356:Product Labeling / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011786:Quality Control; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000737:chemistry; D012015:Reference Standards; D013667:Technetium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013667:Technetium