EFOMP Current and Past Projects

EFOMP is very delighted to be invited to take part in and endorse different projects that have an impact on and connection to medical physics profession, research, or radiation protection. However, we need time to evaluate and discuss the project before endorsing or joining projects. Please see the procedure and related documents at Projects committee subpage.

Current projects

1. SIMPLERAD

https://www.eibir.org/projects/simplerad/

According to the SAMIRA Action Plan, the consortium of the SIMPLERAD project aims to ensure EU citizens have access to high-quality and safe nuclear technologies in medicine. The general objectives pillars to be addressed to meet this challenge are the following.

  • Improve the understanding of the links and interdependencies between the European pharmaceutical legislations and Euratom radiation protection requirements
  • Highlight potential barriers to implementation
  • Propose practical guidance and recommendations to advance a coherent implementation of these requirements with respect to the therapeutic use of radiopharmaceuticals
  • Address quality and safety issues related to the current use and introduction of novel therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals into clinical practice, including requirements for dosimetry, the role of MPEs, release of patients from hospital, and management of radioactive waste

2. EUCLID, European Study on Clinical Diagnostic Reference Levels for X-ray Medical Imaging

http://www.eurosafeimaging.org/euclid

The objective of the project is to develop and implement an EU-wide survey to collect data from around hospitals across Europe in order to establish up-to-date clinical diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for adult patients for CT, plain radiography and interventional radiology. ESR is the leading organisation and EFOMP stands in the External Advisory Panel together with Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE), Heads of the European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA), European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and World Health Organisation (WHO).EUCLID started in September 2017.

Past projects

  • ENEN+. The primary motivation of the ENEN+ project is to substantially increase the interest of students and young professionals in a career in nuclear sector. EFOMP was a partner in the ENEN plus consortium https://plus.enen.eu/

  • MEDIRAD.The project is focused on implications of medical low dose radiation exposure. It is a €10 m project which is the first large-scale medical research and innovation project funded by the EURATOM scheme. EFOMP provided strategic guidance and input to the development of the proposal and is in the advisory panel of the project. MEDIRAD started in June 2017.
    EFOMP participates in WP6 (Bringing together medical and nuclear scientific communities to improve patient and worker radiological protection across Europe). WP6’s objectives are to formulate policy recommendations for the effective protection of patients and medical workers and the general public; to organize a web-based consultation of a wide range of stakeholders; and to disseminate the MEDIRAD results to broader communities interested in RP. http://www.medirad-project.eu/

  • Improvement of organ dose estimation and registration in order to a) inform clinical practice, optimise doses and set recommendations and b) provide adequate dosimetry for clinical-epidemiological studies of effects of medical radiation

    Evaluation of the effects of medical exposures, focusing on the two major endpoints and exposure conditions of public health and clinical relevance

    Cardiovascular effects of low to moderate doses of radiation from radiotherapy including understanding of mechanisms

    Long term effects of low to moderate doses from higher dose radiological procedures on the risk of cancer

    Development of science-based policy recommendations for decision-makers and practitioners for the effective protection of patients, workers and the general public.

  • ACCIRAD project Guidelines on a risk analysis of accidental and unintended exposures in radiotherapy. The ACCIRAD report was published in the Radiation Protection Series RP181 http://www.accirad.eu/guidelines
  • PiDRL project 27-month tender project on the establishment of European DRLs for paediatric patients. http://www.eurosafeimaging.org/pidrl
  • EMAN project: on the specific roles of the different experts, as well as training, organisational and ethical aspects. More information can be found here: http://www.eurosafeimaging.org/eman
  • European Guidelines on the MPE project Comprehensive guidelines on the role, education and training, staffing levels and recognition of the MPE in Europe based on the provisions for the MPE in EU directive 2013/59/EURATOM. https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/174.pdf
  • MEDRAPET project Study on the Implementation of the Requirements of EU directive 2013/59/EURATOM with regard to Radiation Protection Education and Training of Medical Professionals in the EU; more information here: http://www.eurosafeimaging.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/175.pdf
  • DOSEDATAMED II Project European Guidance on Estimating Population Dose from Medical X-ray Procedures1 (RP154). http://ddmed.eu/
  • EUTEMPE-RX FP7 project EUropean Teaching and Education for Medical Physics Experts in Radiology. The project partners created 12 courses to achieve EQF level 8 in Medical Physics in Radiology.
  • BSS Transposition

    The new Basic Safety Standards Directive (Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom) modernises European radiation protection legislation by taking account of the latest scientific knowledge, technological progress, and operational experience with current legislation. At the same time, the new BSS consolidates the existing acquis of Euratom radiation protection legislation into one single piece of legislation, merging five Directives and upgrading a recommendation to become legally binding. As a result of the consolidation process, the new BSS Directive was given a broader scope and a completely new structure improving coherence and clarity of both definitions and requirements. The objective of this EC tender project was to evaluate Member States‘ activities for the transposition and implementation of Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom in the medical area. In addition, Candidate and EFTA States were contacted to help facilitate the detection of issues, an exchange of first experiences and resolutions, and the identification of good practices.

    This project was awarded to a consortium headed by the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP). Other participating organisations were the European Society of Radiology (ESR) and the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS). Website: http://www.eurosafeimaging.org/bss-transposition

  • ENETRAP III European Network on Education and Training in Radiological Protection.

    For a vast amount of applications in the medical, industrial, research and other sectors, a good understanding of radiation protection (RP) is fundamental in order to protect workers, the public and the environment from the potential risks of ionising radiation. Within this perspective, building and maintaining an advanced level of competence in RP, assuring sufficient well-trained personnel and organising an adequate knowledge management, is crucial. Effective education and training (E&T) is a critical element in these matters, helping to prevent the decline in expertise and to meet future demands.

    A pilot course satisfying the training requirements for the RPE in the medical sector was run in Budapest in 2016. Successful course participants was able to show that they are able to provide expert radiation protection advice to employers, staff and members of the public in the medical field. This allows them to seek the status of Radiation Protection Expert (RPE) in the medical field from an authorised body following the recognition procedure of the respective Member State.

    http://enetrap3.sckcen.be/en