Re: Mo-99 and Tc-99m:possible loss of supply

["Ron L. Kathren" <rkathren@beta.tricity.wsu.edu>]

Marv --

For some time a number of us scientists and others who comprise the 
informal Nuclear Medicine Research Working Group centered here in the 
Tri-Cities have been concerned that the U.S. is virtually wholly 
dependent upond foreign sources (largely Canada) for medical 
radioisotopes.  In fact, the entire U.S. supply of Tc-99 is 
from Canada.  The NRU reactor, where the Tc-99 is produced, was down for 
about three days in late April but is now back on line.  The 
pharmaceutical companies in the U.S., in fact, sent out noticies to 
hospitals around the countries warning them of the possible lack of 
availability of this vital radionuclide.  The crisis is now resolved, but 
the problem is not as we are still dependent on foreign sources.  As a 
past president of the HPS and a concerned citizen, I urge the HPS to take 
a position with the DOE regarding a realistic and prompt domestic source 
of supply, as ANS has already done.

I will be glad to talk with you (509-375-5643) in more depth should you 
desire.  

Ron Kathren

On Thu, 11 May 1995, Marvin Goldman wrote:

> Does anyone in the nuclear medicine community have any information 
> regarding a potential loss of availbility of supply of Tc-99 for use in 
> nuclear medicine, etc.?  I have a rumor that our USA supply may be in 
> danger of loss or inturruption or something like that.  Can anyone supply 
> me with specifics on this, or is it a tempest in a teapot?
> Marvin Goldman,
> President, Health Physics Society
> <mgoldman@ucdavis.edu>
>