Even more repairs are needed as the isotope shortage continues
Atomic Energy of Canada officials announced that the nuclear reactor, which produces about 30 per cent of the world’s medical isotopes, needs so many repairs that it will not be able to run again until spring 2010. The delays will prolong a shortage that has the government scrambling to find new sources of medical isotopes. Doctors have had to pay bills up to $30,000 higher than normal to get isotopes for cancer and heart disease tests, and some hospitals have had to go into debt because of the shortage.