Hospital Radiopharmacy: What Are the Roles of Hospital Pharmacy Technicians ?

Introduction
Radiopharmacy involves the preparation of radiopharmaceutical medicinal products (RMPs), an activity historically performed by medical electroradiology technologists (METs). Today, these activities are increasingly performed by hospital pharmacy technicians (HPTs). The aim of this study was to assess the role of HPTs in radiopharmacy and to analyze the distribution of their activities.

Materials and Methods
A group of four hospital pharmacy technicians developed a 12-item questionnaire for an anonymous descriptive study. The questionnaire included open- and closed-ended questions, single- and multiple-choice questions, as well as Likert-scale items. It was distributed in PDF^® format or via Google Forms^® to radiopharmacy professionals (HPTs, MRTs, radiopharmacists, nuclear medicine physicians, secretaries and hospital service staff) working in 12 healthcare institutions across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Occitanie regions, and Réunion Island. The collected data were subsequently analyzed.

Results
Among the 49 respondents, 90% worked in radiopharmacy. Radiopharmaceutical preparations were mainly performed by HPTs (72%), followed by MRTs (26%) and radiopharmacists (2%). HPTs were involved in a wide range of radiopharmacy activities: clinical trials (57%), cell labeling (69%), ordering and receiving radioactive sources (80%) and radiolabeling kits (92%), radioactive waste management (92%), quality control (94%), and RMP preparation (96%).
On average, radiopharmacy departments employed three HPTs for every ten MRTs. Several barriers to the integration of HPTs were identified, including established organizational practices (53%), management decisions (36%), and a shortage of HPTs (29%). However, 78% of respondents believed that the presence of HPTs would improve the safety and traceability of radiopharmaceutical preparations. Moreover, 35% were unaware that the national HPT qualification is sufficient to work in radiopharmacy, and 20% did not know that an HPT become qualified as a Person Competent in Radiation Protection (PCRPs).

Discussion / Conclusion
The results demonstrate clear recognition of the central role of HPTs in radiopharmacy, together with strong support for increasing their presence within radiopharmacy departments. Some of their potential responsibilities remain poorly understood, suggesting that developments in training and professional practices could further optimize their integration.
The involvement of HPTs in radiopharmacy can significantly contribute to the development of new activities, such as clinical trials involving RMPs and targeted radionuclide therapy. Their role extends beyond the preparation of RMPs: in close collaboration with the radiopharmacist, HPTs contribute to quality assurance, safety, traceability, and the overall organization of radiopharmacy activities.

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