How to Meet Workforce Challenges in Europe’s Nuclear Pharmacy Sector

As the identification, diagnosis, and incidences of cancer and cardiac diseases continue to rise in Europe, nuclear pharmacy is becoming increasingly important in pharmaceuticals and medicine. This highly specialised domain is quickly becoming indispensable to modern healthcare, particularly as the region doubles down on innovation in nuclear medicine and the radiopharmaceuticals market. However, with this growth comes complexity: where do we find the talent to keep up?

What is Nuclear Pharmacy?

Nuclear pharmacy is a recognised and regulated pharmacy practice that focuses on preparing, compounding, handling, and distributing radiopharmaceuticals. These radioactive drugs are essential to nuclear medicine. They are used in diagnostics (such as PET and SPECT imaging), therapies and treatments targeting and destroying harmful cells, and research, particularly in oncology and cardiology.

Unlike traditional pharmacists who dispense medications directly to patients, nuclear pharmacists and technicians work behind the scenes, ensuring radiopharmaceuticals are safely and effectively prepared and delivered to hospitals and clinics. Their responsibilities range from inventory control and radiation safety to aseptic preparation, quality control testing, and participation in clinical trials.

This field is highly technical, demanding professionals with scientific expertise across radiation physics, radiopharmaceutical chemistry, microbiology, and pharmacology, as well as proficiency in safety procedures and equipment handling (British Nuclear Medicine Society (BNMS)). Talent in this area often requires board certification and extensive radiation safety training to practice independently due to the hazardous nature of the materials involved.

The Growing Nuclear Pharmacy Sector in Europe

Several powerful factors are converging to drive growth in the European radiopharmaceuticals market, expected to expand from USD 4.95 billion in 2025 to nearly USD 7.97 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 10%. Influences contributing to this trajectory include:

• Rising cancer and cardiovascular disease rates are generating demand for more advanced diagnostic and therapeutic options, including novel radiopharmaceuticals.
• Innovations in novel radiopharmaceutical therapies are transforming cancer care. While many of these therapies are currently approved for late-stage use, clinical trials are investigating their application earlier in treatment pathways and combination with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and hormonal treatments (Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM)).
• Significant investments, such as the European Union’s EUR 4 billion Beating Cancer Plan, are accelerating research and improving access to nuclear medicine across member states.
• Expanding applications of PET and SPECT imaging in diagnostics are reinforcing the value of nuclear medicine in clinical pathways.

According to a report from the European Commission, the EU is the leading supplier of medical radioisotopes globally, holding a market share of over 60%. For instance, Belgium, alongside Germany, has one of the highest densities of nuclear medicine infrastructure in Europe and is one of the world’s top producers of radionuclides like Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) and Technetium-99m (Tc-99m). These are crucial isotopes in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

The sector is seeing considerable investment and momentum from commercial healthcare firms, including:

• Cardinal Health
• Curium Pharma
• GE Healthcare
• Novartis
• Siemens Healthineers

(Source: Mordor Intelligence)

These organisations are expanding R&D capabilities, launching new clinical trials, and scaling up radiopharmaceutical production across Europe to remain at the forefront of healthcare developments.

With more than 1,500 nuclear medicine centres across the EU delivering nearly 10 million nuclear procedures annually—65% focused on oncology—the demand for radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear pharmacy professionals is rising rapidly. Talent shortages remain one of the biggest barriers to scaling operations.

Why Does the Talent Shortage Exist?

As Dr. Gregory Smallwood, a former associate professor at PCOM School of Pharmacy, notes, the field is ideal for individuals strong in math, physics, and life sciences – yet its complexity has created a relatively small and highly specialised talent pool. The sector requires a highly specialised skill set that few professionals possess. Moreover, the increasing demand, new therapies being introduced, and talent shortages are creating a significant bottleneck throughout the region. The reasons are complex but interlinked:

• Highly specialised skillsets: As briefly touched upon, nuclear pharmacy requires a unique blend of technical, scientific, and regulatory expertise. Professionals must receive extensive training, from knowledge in aseptic techniques and radiation protection to mastery in radiopharmaceutical compounding and analytical chemistry (e.g., chromatography, electrophoresis). Yet very few academic or vocational pathways produce graduates with this cross-functional capability; even fewer have the real-world experience needed in high-compliance environments.
• Limited education access: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education across all healthcare and life science disciplines. A 2022 study in the European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging reported that nuclear medicine education was affected in 84% of countries, mainly in Northern Europe, with nuclear pharmacists (59%), technologists (78%), and physicists (67%) particularly impacted. These disruptions have contributed to a lag in new entrants to the field, just as demand surges.
• Geographical concentration: Much of Europe’s commercial nuclear pharmacy infrastructure is centralised in a handful of key countries, notably Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK. Although nuclear pharmacy activity and production are significant in these locations, they’re not always aligned with where talent is based. Moreover, candidates are often reluctant or unable to relocate, creating a mismatch between demand and supply.
• Narrow recruitment pools: Because the field is so niche, there’s low competition among job seekers but high competition among employers. This limits companies’ ability to scale at a pace unless they expand their recruitment strategies beyond traditional channels.

How to Overcome the Talent Gap

Companies operating within the market should take a proactive and multi-pronged approach to their talent strategy to address the growing workforce shortage in nuclear pharmacy. This includes expanding recruitment efforts, investing in workforce development, and future-proofing their hiring pipelines. Here’s what you can do:

1.      Invest in upskilling and reskilling

Given the niche expertise required in the field, businesses can benefit from identifying talent in other scientific fields who can be retrained for nuclear pharmacy roles. Professionals with backgrounds in pharmacology, biotechnology, radiology, or laboratory science may already possess transferable skills that can be refined through targeted development programmes.

Creating internal learning pathways in collaboration with academic institutions, training centres, and certification bodies can help build sustainable, in-house talent pipelines, particularly for positions such as radiopharmaceutical scientists and nuclear pharmacy technicians. For example, initiatives such as the European Commission’s INTERACT-EUROPE 100 are providing inter-speciality training programmes to 100 cancer centres across Europe, aiming to support medical professionals and promote cross-disciplinary education and mobility.

2.      International talent sourcing

As nuclear pharmacy roles are highly technical and not always locally available, you should consider expanding your search to regional and international markets. By hiring globally, businesses can access a broader pool of qualified professionals.

To facilitate this process, companies can also engage with an Employer of Record (EOR) to hire local and international talent compliantly without establishing a legal entity in every country where they operate. For example, if you don’t have a European legal entity but wish to benefit from its significant nuclear pharmacy presence, you can initiate projects through an EOR. This service enables you to scale quickly and flexibly while navigating local tax laws, employment regulations, and payroll administration.

The growing demand for talent with GMP, aseptic manufacturing, or radioisotope handling experience means companies need to be agile in sourcing seasoned experts and promising new entrants from underrepresented regions.

3.      Leverage cross-sector expertise

With the convergence of healthcare, technology, and manufacturing in nuclear pharmacy, employers can also draw talent from adjacent sectors such as medical devices, sterile biologics, and pharmaceutical QA/QC. These industries often employ individuals familiar with regulatory frameworks, cleanroom environments, and high-compliance standards – all valuable traits for nuclear pharmacy operations. With this cross-sector mobility in mind, you can fill talent gaps more quickly and cost-effectively.

Partnering for Success

While these strategies can be pursued independently, working with an experienced recruitment company can speed up progress and reduce complexity.

With over 20 years of experience in life sciences, NES Fircroft has developed a profound understanding of niche verticals like nuclear pharmacy. Our approach is multifaceted and informed by decades of success in staffing for regulated, technically demanding industries. Due to this industry's competitiveness, talent is increasingly expected to be mobile; we have offices across Europe, including Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK, with an international candidate base that allows us to mobilise talent locally, support relocation, and handle language, payroll, and compliance challenges.

Our regional presence uniquely positions us to support clients operating in the nuclear pharmacy space. Whether you’re looking to source international candidates via our EOR services, build local technical teams, or need support with regulatory requirements, we provide tailored talent acquisition services for your business.

If your company is facing hiring challenges in nuclear pharmacy, get in touch with our expert pharmaceutical recruiters today.