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General/Quality Practice

The International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources (the 'Standards' or the 'BSS') were published by the IAEA in 2014 and jointly sponsored by EC, FAO, ILO, OECD/NEA, PAHO, UNEP, WHO. This publication was the culmination of efforts towards harmonization of radiation protection and safety standards internationally.

The purpose of the Standards is to establish basic requirements for protection against the risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation and for the safety of radiation sources that may deliver such exposure.

The IAEA has also published Applying Radiation Safety Standards in Nuclear Medicine, Safety Reports Series No. 40, which provides guidance on how regulatory requirements are to be fulfilled with respect to Nuclear Medicine practice. The objective of this safety report is to assist regulatory bodies in preparing regulatory guidance on the proper and consistent application of basic requirements of the BSS, by the legal persons responsible for the nuclear medicine practice. The report is applicable to all the established uses of ionizing radiation sources employed in the practice of nuclear medicine, to the facilities where the sources are located and used, and to the individuals involved. The guidance covers occupational, public, medical, and potential and emergency exposure situations.