Cancer and heart diagnosis hospital scans to be delayed or cancelled due to global shortage, warns Health Minister Mike Nesbitt

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Patients waiting on scans to check for cancer and heart conditions face having their procedures delayed or cancelled, the Health Minister has warned.

Mike Nesbitt states the situation is caused by problems with an international manufacturing chain that produces a radioactive isotope vital to the medical imaging process.

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The minister said officials expect ‘delays to patient access’ for procedures that rely on that isotope over the coming weeks – which includes hospital scans checking for breast and prostate cancer, as well as diagnosing many heart conditions.

Efforts to stave off the shortage from Stormont’s Department of Health and similar bodies in England, Scotland and Wales haven’t worked, pushing Mr Nesbitt to issue a public warning.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.

Stocks of the isotope across the UK will now be rationed, with the minster stating he’s working to make sure Northern Ireland gets its fair share.

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But he warned that supplies are ‘significantly constrained’, and health officials have been told to prioritise the most urgent cases.

Doctors are to meet with patients on a case by case basis to discuss options, and it may be possible to offer some people scans that don’t need the rationed isotope.

But Mr Nesbitt warned people on waiting lists for scans to brace themselves for delays to their procedures, or even outright cancellations.

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A generator used to make technetium-99. Courtesy of Raymond Chieng, Radiopaedia.org, rID 177322A generator used to make technetium-99. Courtesy of Raymond Chieng, Radiopaedia.org, rID 177322
A generator used to make technetium-99. Courtesy of Raymond Chieng, Radiopaedia.org, rID 177322

"I know how difficult this will be for affected patients while we face this supply issue,” he said, in a written statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly that revealed the scale of the problem.

"This issue is different in nature to normal supply chain problems, due to the unique challenges isotope shortages present.

"Despite efforts to limit the impact, there will be delays for patients accessing services which rely on this affected isotope, with potential cancellations.”

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The affected isotope is technetium-99, which is injected into the bloodstream to use as a tracer during scans.

Technetium-99 is made from molybdenum-99, which is created in nuclear reactors.

Only six reactors in the world produce molybdenum-99. None of them are in the UK, and some are currently out of action for critical repair work.

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That’s led to what Mr Nesbitt describes as ‘a sudden global disruption of manufacturing capacity’ for the vital isotope, which he said is hitting ‘countries across Europe and worldwide’ in addition to the UK.

Two of the reactors are due to come back in line relatively soon, and should start producing molybdenum-99 again around mid-November.

But even then, supplies to the UK aren’t expected to get back to their proper level for some time.

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“The priority during this period of supply disruption is to minimise the impact on patients as much as possible,” Mr Nesbitt said.

SDLP health spokesman Colin McGrath blamed Westminster for the problems, stating ‘it is imperative we hold the government accountable’ if patient care is compromised.

"That the UK relies on limited international sources for essential medical supplies seems untenable,” he said.

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“We must have a more robust strategy to secure a reliable supply of critical medical resources here.

“I would also urge the minister to ensure that all patients receive clear communication regarding their treatment options.”

He went on to call on Mr Nesbitt to ‘remain open and transparent’ about any attempts to tackle the shortage.

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