By the end of June, in fact, concerns had eased somewhat and there was some new optimism over Mo-99 supplies from a panel at the Denver meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

The panel was moderated by SNMMI president Sally Schwarz, professor of radiology at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.


“It’s clear that the world’s Mo-99 producers have collaboratively used innovation, technology and careful planning to increase capacity and safeguard supplies of this critical medical isotope,” said Schwarz.

Some of the positive moves to stabilize the Mo-99 supply have included:

1. Increased capacity by present Mo-99 producers through “significant” investments and improvements.This includes steps taken to boost supply to cover planned and unplanned demand spikes, and to replace lost capacity anticipated from the closing of Mo-99 production at the NRU and OSIRIS research reactors.

2. Maintenance and investments by major producers for “extra target irradiation positions with their reactor partners (known as Outage Reserve Capacity) to continue to provide supply during an unexpected shutdown.” Producers pay for target irradiation space – used or not.

3. Global cooperation. The Association of Imaging Producers and Equipment Suppliers (AIPES) is cooperating around the world to manage an international scheduling of Mo-99-producing reactors, to ensure “adequate target irradiation capacity and minimize supply risks.” The group includes major international Mo-99 producers who meet during the year to make sure that the supply of Mo-99, and hence Tc-99M, is secure going forward.

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