United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of Public Affairs, Region I

475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19401

Phone: 610/337-5330 Fax: 610/337-5241

Internet: dps@nrc.gov or nas@nrc.gov

I-97-47 May 1, 1997

Contact: Diane Screnci FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Neil A. Sheehan

NRC PROHIBITS VETERINARIAN FROM USING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS,

PROPOSES $4,000 CIVIL PENALTY FOR SEVERAL VIOLATIONS

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has terminated a New York

veterinarian's license to use radioactive materials, barred him

from NRC-licensed activities for one year and proposed a fine of

$4,000 against him for alleged violations of agency requirements.

The violations stem from the use of radioactive seeds to treat

horse leg injuries and diseases at several New Jersey locations.

Dr. Roy Sadovsky of Floral Park, N.Y., possessed an NRC

license that allowed him to implant radioactive seeds in horses

only at the Meadowlands Race Track in East Rutherford, N.J., or

at the Showplace Farm and Gaitway Farm in Millstone Township,

N.J. But during NRC inspections conducted last summer, it was

determined Sadovsky was using gold-198 seeds at an unauthorized

location, the White Birch Farm in Allentown, N.J.

This took place on 15 occasions between 1992 and 1996,

despite the fact the veterinarian had been cited by the NRC for

that violation in January 1992, and even though he had informed

the agency in February 1992 he would cease such activities.

Although Sadovsky contended he submitted a license amendment to

allow the use of materials at White Birch Farm, the NRC found

this request was not submitted until January 1995.

In addition to that violation, the NRC found Sadovsky

committed several others, including:

ˇ Failure to secure licensed materials from unauthorized

removal or access. Approximately 120 millicuries of gold-198

were stored in his unlocked vehicle on September 5, 1996.

ˇ Improper transportation of radioactive materials,

including failure to use the required packaging, failure to apply

a radioactive materials shipping label and failure to describe

the materials on the shipping paper.

ˇ Failure to provide individual monitoring devices to

workers who assisted in the use of radioactive materials, and to

ensure those devices were used.

ˇ The conducting of operations with licensed materials in a

manner that caused dose rates in an unrestricted area to exceed 2
millirem in any one hour, resulting in workers potentially

receiving exposure in excess of NRC guidelines.

The radiation level from the quantity of gold-198 typically

used by Sadovsky was approximately 2.5 rem per hour at 10

centimeters (4 inches). When implanted in horses, the legs of

the treated animals produced radiation levels of more than 200

millirem per hour at a distance of 30 centimeters (12 inches).

The average American receives slightly more than 300 millirem per

year from background radiation, from such sources as the sun,

food and drink, and soil.

Edward L. Jordan, the NRC's deputy executive director for

regulatory effectiveness, program oversight, investigations and

enforcement, wrote in a letter to Sadovsky that the violation

involving the deliberate use of licensed material at an

unauthorized location is "of particular concern because the

regulatory program is based on licensees acting with integrity

and communicating with candor."

"The remaining violations are also of significant concern,"

Jordan continued, "because such failures pose a potential safety

consequence to the public, including your workers."

Sadovsky has 30 days to pay the fine or request in writing

that all or part be withdrawn.

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