Doctors, Patients Caught in Global Security Web involving MedicalIsotopes

[John Jacobus <crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM>]

I received through another list server.





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IAEA

 World Atom:Press Centre

 Press Releases

Staff Report

3 September 2004



        Doctors, Patients Caught in Global Security

Web Medical Isotopes More Frequently Denied

International Shipment



 Doctors and their patients in many countries are

facing increasing problems receiving lifesaving

isotopes for treating a range of illnesses. The

isotopes are used in nuclear medicine for diagnosis

and therapy.



 A meeting of experts at the IAEA recently reviewed

the situation, finding a growing incidence of denials

or delays in international shipments of needed

radioactive material, including short-lived isotopes

used for medical diagnosis and treatment. Security and

economic issues are among concerns driving the

problems.



 Most countries around the world import isotopes

commonly used in medicine, such as those used to treat

cancer, diagnose heart attacks or sterilize medical

equipment. Hospitals and clinics depend on these

international shipments to arrive on time,

particularly if the isotope has a short half-life and

must be sent by air.



 Industry representatives have told the IAEA of

increasing difficulties in delivering lifesaving

isotopes that require urgent international transport.

The precise number of denials occurring worldwide is

not known.



 "If an airline or other transport provider refuses to

take a shipment, or is unable to take a shipment, then

this increases the prospect of someone missing a

cancer treatment," Mr. Michael Wangler, IAEA Unit

Head, Safety of Transport of Radioactive Materials

Unit, said.



 "There is a risk that if more airlines do deny,

particularly where few airlines serve key regions,

then this does raise a serious issue. It potentially

means that medical clinics and hospitals in specific

areas are at risk from being denied essential medical

supplies," Mr. Wangler said.



 Shipments of medical and industrial radioactive

material are regulated by countries and the airline

industry in accordance with the IAEA´s international

Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive

Material. "Radioactive material is very safely

transported, based on standards developed by the IAEA

which have been operating for 43 years. What the

current regulatory system lacks are enhanced efforts

or separate treatment to facilitate the rapid

distribution of medical isotopes when warranted," Mr.

Wangler said.



 Across the globe, he said that some airlines have

policies against carrying any radioactive material. In

other instances, a country´s regulatory controls may

make it very difficult for the airlines to meet needed

requirements, creating bottlenecks that have

effectively blocked shipments. In cases involving

isotopes with short half lives - such as iodine used

to treat and detect thyroid tumours - it is rendered

useless, or if it has missed the flight and gets on

another one, its use is more limited.



 The July meeting at the IAEA is part of international

fact-finding to gauge the problem, improve the flow of

information, and formulate solutions. Participating

were representatives from regulatory authorities,

producers of radioactive sources, airlines, shippers

and other transport operators, and international

organizations. Previous meetings were held in January

2004.



 International transports of radioactive sources

shipped by sea were also said to be experiencing

delays and denials. This involves a wide range of

radioactive material used for everyday applications,

from pacemakers, medical equipment and electricity

generation, to improving the safety of food, checking

for hairline fractures in pipelines or controlling

disease laden insects. Recommendations and actions

stemming from the January and July meetings will go

before the IAEA´s General Conference in September 2004

for adoption.



 Story Resources



  o	General Conference Document



http://www.iaea.org/About/Policy/GC/GC48/Documents/gc48-13.pdf



  o	2004 IAEA General Conference

	http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Events/index.html



  o	Fighting Cancer Through Radiotherapy

	[Broken Link]



  o	Nuclear Medicine

	http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-medicine.htm



  o	IAEA Transport Regulations



http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1098_scr.pdf



  o	Radiation Transport Safety



http://www-ns.iaea.org/meetings/rw-summaries/vienna-transport-safety-2003.htm





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The above may be viewed on the IAEA Web site at URL:



 

http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2004/med_isotopes.html





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"Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects."

Will Rogers



-- John

John Jacobus, MS

Certified Health Physicist

e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com





		

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