European Commission seeks to resolve shortages of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine

In order to resolve the urgent issue of a shortage of supply of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine, last Friday, the European Commission adopted a Communication to the European Parliament and to the Council on medical applications of ionizing radiation, proposing a way forward to resolve the situation.

The Communication also identifies key issues to improve radiation protection of patients and medical staff, to avoid a rise in population exposure associated with the technological advances in X-ray computed tomography imaging (CT) and an increase of accidental or unintended exposures in radiotherapy. This Communication was jointly proposed by Gunther Oettinger, Commissioner responsible for Energy, and by John Dalli, Commissioner responsible for Health and Consumer Policy.

Commissioner Oettinger said: "Nuclear medicine is essential for diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases like cancer, cardiovascular and brain diseases. At the same time, the overall population exposure to ionizing radiation due to medical procedures overwhelms any other man-made exposure." Commissioner Dalli added that "the shortage of radioisotopes needed for medical procedures, as well as the need to improve patient and health professionals protection against accidental or unintended exposures in radio therapy, are important objectives of public health policy.