Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Radiopharmacy Activities: Preliminary
report: first international survey
Abstract
Rationale, aims, and objectives: The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted
normal activities across the world, from economy to socialization, and
claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. The activities in radiopharmacy
laboratories across the globe have been affected significantly. This
survey was conducted to assess the effect of COVID-19 on radiopharmacy
and activities going on in the laboratories around the world. This was
meant to undertake a preliminary record of the continuing survey.
Methods: A three-sectioned questionnaire with 12 questions was
distributed to the professional working on radiopharmacy laboratories.
The sections included demographic information, the effect of the
pandemic on the regular operation on a radiopharmacy, and the measures
taken to prevent the spread of the virus among the laboratory staff.
Random sampling approach was used to select 100 respondents, including
staff and radiochemists, across different parts of the world. Results:
The survey demonstrated that the pandemic hugely impacted activities in
a radiopharmacy laboratory. 98% of the respondents reported major
disruptions in the normal schedule in the laboratory. Even though some
laboratories continued working normally, strict measures were put in
place to prevent the spread of the virus among the staff. In many
radiopharmacy laboratories, diagnostic procedures and tests
quantitatively decreased. The survey reported positron emission
radiopharmaceutical fluorodeoxyglucose F-18 (F18-FDG) as the frequently
organ imaging radiopharmaceutical during the pandemic. Conclusions: The
survey showed that COVID-19 has negatively impacted activities in a
radiopharmacy laboratory, consequently affecting research activities.