Shortage of medical isotopes could affect the health of Canadians

Canada's physicians are deeply troubled about the prolonged and unpredictable shortage of medical isotopes and impact the crisis continues to have on patient care.

Physician-delegates from across the country attending the annual meeting of CMA General Council voted overwhelmingly that the federal government should conduct open, meaningful and ongoing consultations with the nuclear medicine profession on any and all federal decisions directly affecting the supply of medical isotopes.

"For Canada's physicians and patients, the shutdown of the NRU reactor at Chalk River and the resulting prolonged shortage of medical isotopes, is a serious medical issue that directly affects the health of Canadians and the sustainability of the health care system," said CMA President Dr. Robert Ouellet.

Delegates to CMA's annual meeting in Saskatoon passed 5 motions related to medical isotopes. The motions:

- expressed appreciation and admiration to health care providers across
the country for their dedicated efforts to meet patient needs;
- called for an independent panel to look into the federal government's
decisions to abandon the Maple I and II reactors;
- demanded that physicians be at the table when decisions on the secure
supply of medical isotopes are made;
- called for an emergency action plan to assist in covering the
increasing costs for isotopes, and;
- called for greater investments in research and new technology
including positron emissions technology (PET).

"Recent decisions on the production of medical isotopes made by the federal government have been based on financial considerations and have not fully considered the impact on care," added Dr. Ouellet. "It is critical that physician experts and their associations are at the table when these decisions are being made."