Update — January 29, 2010

Letter from Covidien (January 29, 2010)
Covidien provides supply estimates of Mo-99 through April 2010.

Update — January 14, 2010

Letter from Covidien (January 14, 2010)
Covidien provides supply estimates of Mo-99 based on the planned shutdown of the High-Flux Reactor in the Netherlands beginning February 19, 2010 and ongoing maintenance on the NRU reactor in Canada.  The two shutdowns will severely limit supplies of Mo-99 in March 2010.

Update — December 21, 2009

Letter from Covidien (December 21, 2009)
Covidien provides supply estimates of Mo-99 based on the planned shutdown of the High-Flux Reactor in the Netherlands beginning February 19, 2010.

Update — December 4, 2009

ASNC Asks Senate to Support American Medical Isotopes Act

ASNC sent a letter of support for the American Medical Isotopes Act of 2009 (H.R. 3276) in anticipation of a December 3, 2009 hearing on the bill.

Update — November 20, 2009

Letter from Covidien (November 19, 2009)
Covidien provides an update on the worldwide shortage of Mo-99, including developments in Europe that provide an improved outlook for long-term supplies and a calendar of estimated shortages over the next few months.

FAQs from Covidien (November 19, 2009)
Covidien provides a list of frequently asked questions about the current shortage of Mo-99.

Update — November 6, 2009

U.S. House Passes American Medical Isotopes Production Act

On November 5, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3276, the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009.  This bill, endorsed by ASNC, provides an important step in securing a stable supply of Mo-99.  The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.  To see how your Member of Congress voted on H.R. 3276, click here.

Update — October 29, 2009

President Obama Approves $20 Million for U.S Production of Medical Isotopes (October 29, 2009)

By signing the "Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriation Act 2010" (H.R. 3183), President Obama today approved $20 million to "accelerate the conversion of research reactors to support the domestic production of molybdenum-99.  Page 131 of the Conference Report details the medical isotope appropriation.

Update — October 23, 2009

Letter from Covidien (October  23, 2009)
Covidien provides an update on the worldwide shortage of Mo-99, including a calendar of estimated supply shortages over the next few months.

Update — October 22, 2009

On October 21, 2009, The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed H.R. 3276, the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009.  ASNC has endorsed this bill, which aims to address the ongoing worldwide medical isotope supply issues.  ASNC members are encouraged to contact their Member of Congress and ask them to support this important bill.

Update — September 24, 2009

Letter from Covidien (September 22, 2009)
Covidien provides an update on the worldwide shortage of Mo-99, including recommendations for conserving Tc-99m and a calendar of estimated supply shortages over the next 3 months.

Update — September 22, 2009

ASNC President-Elect Dr. Mylan Cohen talks to the media about the impact the ongoing Mo-99 shortage has on patients and caregivers.

Click here to read Dr. Cohen's interview in ImagingBiz.com

Click here to read Dr. Cohen's comments in Cardiology News (free registration required)

Update — September 21, 2009

U.S. House holds hearing on American Medical Isotopes Act.  Representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Lantheus Medical Imaging delivered testimony.

Click here to read more.

Update — August 18, 2009

According to a August 12 bulletin from AECL, experts have revised their estimate of the re-opening of the Chalk River nuclear reactor.  The reactor will not return to service until early 2010.

Click here for the full statement from AECL.

Lantheus responds to revised timeline announcement.

Letter from Covidien (August 18, 2009)
Covidien provides an update on the worldwide shortage of Mo-99, including a calendar of estimated supply shortages over the next 3 months.

Update — August 5, 2009

Letter from Covidien (August 5, 2009)
Covidien provides an update on the worldwide shortage of Mo-99, including a calendar of estimated supply shortages over the next 3 months.

Update — July 22, 2009

Congressmen Introduce American Medical Isotopes Production Act (July 21, 2009)
ASNC has endorsed important legislation introduced by Reps. Markey (D-Mass.) and Upton (R-Mich.) that aims to address the ongoing worldwide medical isotope supply issues.

Update — July 9, 2009

Letter from Covidien (July 8, 2009)
Covidien provides an update on the potential worldwide shortage of Mo-99.

Update — July 8, 2009

According to a July 8 bulletin from AECL, experts have revised their estimate of the re-opening of the Chalk River nuclear reactor.  The reactor will not return to service before late 2009.

Click here for the full statement from AECL.

Update — June 22, 2009

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released an information sheet on the current radioisotope shortage.  Click here to view a copy of this document, which is designed for both physicians and patients.

Update — June 17, 2009

ASNC President Jennifer Mieres wrote to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development expressing concers about the ongoing shortage of critical radioisotopes used in cardiovascular imaging.  Dr. Mieres provided the subcommittee members with statistics about the current Mo-99 shortage's impact on nuclear cardiology and provided recommendations to address the shortage:

1) Congress must provide sufficient funding to the National Nuclear Security Administration to develop a reliable source of medical isotopes.

2) Congress must provide financial incentives to private industry to expedite isotope production.

Click here for the full-text of this letter to Congress.

Update — June 12, 2009

Covidien provides additional updates on the Mo-99 shortage.

Letter from Covidien (June 10, 2009)

Letter from Covidien (June 3, 2009)

Press Release from MDS Nordion (June 1, 2009)
MDS Nordion urges Canadian government to complete MAPLE project to address Mo-99 supply issues.

Letter from Lantheus (June 3, 2009)
Lantheus Medical Imaging provides an update on the potential worldwide shortage of Mo-99.

Update — May 29, 2009

According to a new bulletin from AECL, experts believe that the NRU reactor shut down on May 18, 2009 may now be out of service for at least three months. 

Click here for the full statement from AECL.

Update — May 22, 2009

Letter from Covidien (May 22, 2009)
Covidien provides an update on the potential worldwide shortage of Mo-99.

May 19, 2009

On May 18, 2009, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL)announced that the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ontario will be out of service for more than a month after a heavy water leak was detected in the facility.  AECL expects to meet its production requirements for medical isotopes for the coming week, but will be unable to meet demand beginning May 23, 2009.  This interruption in medical isotope production will primarily affect molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) used in the manufacturing of technetium-99m generators.

Click here for the press release from AECL.

Click here for a statement from MDS Nordion.