Updates on supply of medical radioisotopes (Van Zyl de Villiers, WCI) World

1. Important updates on the supply of medical radioisotopes

Van Zyl de Villiers Past-President World Council on Isotopes

2018 April Vol.7- Issue 4

The production and supply of key medical radioisotopes, especially molybdenum-99/ technetium99m, but also iodine-131 and xenon-133, continue

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to be of major interest to the isotope industry, the

Important updates on the supply of medical radioisotopes

1p

02 Isotope-related News

5p

03 Sketches from the Secretariat

10P

04 Future Conferences

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Nigel Stevenson

President

Jong Kyung Kim

President-Elect

Bernard Ponsard

Chair, Industrial Application

Timothy Payne

Chair, Environmental Applications

Tatsuo Ido

Chair, Medical Applications

Carlo R. Chemaly

Chair, Publication

Meera Venkatesh

Chair, Education and Training

Paul Dickman

Chair, ICI Coordination

Woo-Geun Song

Director of Secretariat

WCI Secretariat 18F Seoul Forest IT Valley 77 Seongsuil-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, Korea

healthcare community and policy makers in many countries around the world. In this contribution, I would like to highlight two important publications in this regard that became available in recent months.

The first, report NEA/SEN/HLGMR (2017)5 published by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency in December 2017, entitled “The Supply of Medical Radioisotopes: Results from the Third Self-assessment of the Global Mo-99/Tc-99m Supply Chain�. It reflects the results of the third series of self-assessments performed by 17

countries

with

major

current

or

future

participation in the 99Mo/99mTc value chain.

TEL : +82-2-3490-7141 Email : Secretary@wci-ici.org

WORLD COUNCIL ON ISOTOPES

www.wci-ici.org

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This formed part of the important work done by the High-level Group on the Security of Supply of Medical Radioisotopes (HLG-MR) since 2009.

The second report, “Opportunities and Approaches for Supplying Molybdenum-99 and Associated Medical Isotopes to Global Markets�, published by the National Academies Press in Washington, DC, earlier this year, contains the proceedings of a conference held in Vienna in July 2017 and organized jointly by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Both reports confirm that the main players in the global supply chain have been very successful in improving security of supply after the shortages experienced during 20092010, but also underline that the present form of the 99Mo/99mTc market remains economically unsustainable. The most important contributor to the latter situation is the lack of sufficient progress towards two key HLG-MR policy principles, namely (i) the implementation of full cost recovery (FCR) by all 99mTc supply chain participants and (ii) the sourcing and payment for reserve capacity by the supply chain. Furthermore, the demand for 99mTc-based imaging has changed markedly over the last decade, with significant reductions in the US, a stable situation in some other countries and moderate increases in a few others.

The aforementioned factors make it challenging for new supply chain entrants, specifically irradiators and processors, to develop an attractive business case. On the positive side, quite a number of such initiatives are underway in various parts of the world.

It remains to be seen at which time in future they will be able to substantially contribute to the reliable supply of key medical radioisotopes.

Strong coordination through the Association of Isotope Production and Equipment Suppliers (AIPES) in recent years, has allowed the existing supply chain to quite successfully meet market demands despite significant reductions in available target irradiation capacity since 2015. However, progress towards the full implementation of WORLD COUNCIL ON ISOTOPES

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FCR has been constrained by a number of factors, especially cost increases in various supply chain stages resulting from operational costs as well as the transition to the use of low enriched uranium (LEU) in reactor fuel and irradiation targets. Limited or no increases in reimbursement rates for radioisotope-based medical imaging have generated further ‘backward’ pressure on the move towards FCR. This situation made it even more difficult for processors to secure fully paid outage reserve capacity.

All of this takes place in an environment of uneven subsidization of irradiators and/or producers by governments, unwillingness by some market players to commit to FCR, and a restrictive policy environment in some countries. The overall impact is a threat to longterm security of supply and an economically sustainable supply chain.

It is therefore absolutely essential that all market participants, i.e. irradiators, processors, 99mTc manufacturers, the healthcare sector and governments, commit themselves to full implementation of all HLG-MR principles and to reimbursement rates for radioisotopebased imaging that appropriately reflects the value added. In actual fact, such adjustments in the financial structure of the entire value chain would merely reflect the commitments expressed by 14 countries in the Joint Declaration on the Security of Supply of Medical Radioisotopes during 2014-2015.

The shift to full LEU-based or non-fission-based medical radioisotope production by all major producers in the world should continue with urgency in order to restore a level playing field. This could be achieved through a combination of political will (or pressure), financial or reimbursement incentives for such a transition, accelerated authorization for the use of LEU-based medical radioisotopes, and co-funding support for the development and demonstration of alternative production technologies. The end goal should still be to have FCR-based production and a supply chain operating on purely commercial principles, or at least a market structure where limited subsidization is transparent to all involved.

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While the emphasis in this article and the two reports have been on the major medical radioisotopes, one should not forget the obligation on irradiators and processors to support research, development and demonstration of new isotope-based imaging modalities, especially through the supply of small quantities of radioisotopes for research and clinical studies. Small contributions (in financial terms) could have a major impact on the sustainability of the medical imaging industry and on the commercial success of the large supply chain participants.

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2. Isotope-related News Canada begins SMR strategy roadmap Canada has launched a process to prepare a roadmap to explore the potential of onand off-grid applications for small modular reactor (SMR) technology. The roadmap will help position Canada to become a global leader in the emerging SMR market, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

To read more please visit: http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Canada-begins-SMRstrategy-roadmap-2702187.html Source: World Nuclear News

IAEA Advises Mozambique on Strengthening Regulatory Infrastructure An IAEA Advisory Mission to Mozambique, conducted as part of a project to support African states in regulatory infrastructure development, found that the country has a strong foundation for radiation safety legislation.

The team worked with the National Atomic Energy Agency of Mozambique and interviewed senior politicians, facility staff and reviewed documents.

The evaluation was based on the IAEA safety standards, in particular Governmental, Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safety (GSR Part 1) and Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources (GSR Part 3). The team also used the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, a non-legally binding international instrument recognized and supported by Mozambique.

To

read

more

please

visit:

https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/iaea-advises-

mozambique-on-strengthening-regulatory-infrastructure Source: IAEA WORLD COUNCIL ON ISOTOPES

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South Africa's Mo-99 plant back online after hydrogen leak scare South Africa’s NTP Radioisotopes, one of the world’s leading producers of Molybdenum-99 used in medical diagnostic imaging, resumed production at its Pelindaba facility in February after a three-month shutdown due to a suspected hydrogen leak.

To read more please visit: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-safrica-isotopes/southafricas-mo-99-plant-back-online-after-hydrogen-leak-scare-idUSKCN1G51R2 Source: Reuters

Combining modalities: the advantages of PET-CT-UUI Researchers from France have combined traditional PET-CT and ultrafast ultrasound imaging (UUI) to create a new hybrid imaging modality that can identify metabolic activities while capturing rapid phenomena with high resolution. This approach should yield simultaneous anatomical, metabolic and functional information while being relatively low in cost. In a proof-of-concept study, the team details how the technology could benefit the fields of oncology and cardiology (Nature Biomed. Eng. 2 85).

Schematic of the imaging setup

To read more please visit: http://medicalphysicsweb.org/cws/article/research/71211 Source: medicalphysicsweb

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India and Vietnam enhance nuclear cooperation India and Vietnam have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their cooperation in nuclear energy. The agreement was one of three MoUs signed during Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang's visit to India.

The MoU was signed on 3 March in New Delhi by Sekhar Basu, secretary of India's Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and Dang Dinh Quy, Vietnam's deputy minister of foreign affairs. The signing was witnessed by Quang and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The purpose of the MoU is to strengthen the technical cooperation in the field of atomic energy for peaceful purposes," the Indian Prime Minister's office said in a statement.

The MoU calls for cooperation between the DAE's Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) and the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VinAtom).

To read more please visit: http://powerlinks.news/article/63b6a4/india-and-vietnamenhance-nuclear-cooperation?t=Nuclear&fieldname=industryids&fieldvalue=68 Source: PowerLinks News

Research reactors: FORO, supported by IAEA, to create regulatory inspection manual Experts from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Spain and the IAEA met 26 February to 2 March in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, to launch work on the manual. References used in the development of the manual include an IAEA training manual on regulatory inspection programmes for research reactors that is under development.

As some research reactors in the FORO area have operated for many years, the document will place particular emphasis on inspecting reactor operators’ ageing

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management programmes. The inspection manual will be complemented by a guide document intended to be used as a reference when establishing regulatory requirements for ageing management.

To read more please visit: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/research-reactors-forosupported-by-iaea-to-create-regulatory-inspection-manual Source: IAEA

Gamma

Neutron

Scintillation

Detector

Market:

Rising

demand

for

radioisotope Identification devices are increasing the market growth Rising demand for application such as radioisotope Identification devices (RIDs), spectroscopic personal radiation detectors (SPRDs), personal radiation detectors (PRDs) are increasing the demand for gamma neutron scintillation detector. Also radioactive emissions are used to understand the internal crystal structure of materials which is leading to the rise in gamma neutron scintillation detector.

Geographically gamma neutron scintillation detector market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and South America. North America is expected to be a major gamma neutron scintillation detector market. The U.S. is expected to dominate the market followed by Canada and Mexico. Europe is expected to be another major gamma neutron scintillation detector market consisting of Germany, the U.K., France, Italy and Spain. Asia-Pacific is expected to be a prominent gamma neutron scintillation market, dominated by China, and followed by Japan, South Korea and India.

To read more please visit: https://cmfenews.com/gamma-neutron-scintillation-detectormarket-rising-demand-radioisotope-identification-devices-increasing-market-growth/ Source: CMFE News WORLD COUNCIL ON ISOTOPES

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Radioisotope Positron Propulsion

Current state of the art in-space propulsion systems based on chemical or ion propellants fail to meet requirements of 21st century space missions. Antimatter is a candidate mechanism for a propulsion system that could transport humans and/or robotic systems with drastically reduced transit times, providing quicker scientific results, increasing the payload mass to allow more capable instruments and larger crews, and reducing the overall mission cost. Unfortunately, previous propulsion concepts relied on unrealistic amounts of trapped antimatter - orders of magnitude away from any near-term capability.

The goal of this effort is to determine the feasibility of a (TRL 1-2) radioisotope positron catalyzed fusion propulsion concept that does not rely on trapped antimatter. Such a transformative technology inspires and drives further innovation within the aerospace community and can be applied to a relevant mission.

To read more please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/niac/2018_Phase_I_Phase_II/Radioisotope _Positron_Propulsion Source: NASA To Contents

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3. Sketches from the Secretariat WCI Secretariat participated as a sponsor of NICSTAR 2018 Mr. Woo-Geun Song, Director of the WCI Secretariat participated in the International Conference on “Advanced Applications of Radiation Technology� (NICSTAR-2018) which was held in Mumbai, March 5-8, 2018. Attended by about 300 technology providers, R&D personnel and end users, the conference was organized by the National Association for the Applications of Radioisotopes and Radiation in Industry (NARRI), an organization member of the WCI. Key topics of the conference included electron beam accelerators and gamma irradiators, radiation processing, radiopharmaceuticals, radiation oncology, radiation imaging for advanced NDT applications, preservation of heritage articles using nuclear radiation, radiotracer techniques for industrial process, socio-economic impact and techno-economic aspects of industrial radiation processing, and safety, security and regulations in radioisotopes and radiation technology.

WCI Secretariat was given a plaque of appreciation for support and participation in the NICSTAR 2018. WCI and NARRI expressed their willingness to cooperate and support for activities of mutual interest.

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4. Future Conferences APS April Meeting 2018

• Date: April 14-17, 2018 • Venue: Columbus, OH, USA • Website: https://www.aps.org/meetings/april/about.cfm The APS April Meeting encapsulates the full range of physical scales, from “Quarks to the Cosmos (Q2C)". Research will be presented on topics from 19 participating APS units including particle physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics, and gravitation. The 2018 theme is a "Feynman Century," which will be broadly examined through speakers and scientific sessions.

The 12th Congress of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology (WFNMB)

• Date: April 20-24, 2018 • Venue: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA • Website: https://wfnmb2018.com/

The 12th Congress of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology will be held 20-24th April 2018 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The Congress seeks to promote further global translation of molecular medicine incorporating the translation of basic laboratory research to clinical practice, establishment of clinical and technical standards, and the

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translation of molecular medical technology to developing countries for the benefit of patients worldwide.

The cutting edge, multidisciplinary scientific program will include an outstanding program of focused plenary sessions, continuing educations sessions, and large poster presentation sessions which will be both enjoyable and educational to attendees.

18th Radiochemical Conference

• Date: May 13-18, 2018 • Venue: Mariá nské Lá zně, CZECH REPUBLIC • Website: http://www.radchem.cz/

The scope of the 18th Radiochemical Conference will cover most topics of the former meetings of this series including, but not limited to, chemistry of radioactive elements, radioanalytical methods, radiochemical separation methods and speciation techniques, environmental radioactivity (both natural and artificial), radioecology, application of radionuclides and ionising radiation in research and technology, radiation chemistry, chemistry of the nuclear fuel cycle including the chemical problems in nuclear waste treatment and disposal, or education and training. We are looking forward to further expansion of the session dealing with nuclear methods in medicine and radiopharmaceutical chemistry that has been very successful on the recent conferences.

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AOCRP-5 — 5th Asian & Oceanic Regional Congress on Radiation Protection

• Date: May 20-23, 2018 • Venue: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA • Website: http://www.aocrp-5.org This Congress will be the international meeting for 2018 in the Asia-Pacific Region and offers the opportunity to meet and discuss radiation safety matters in all areas of application of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Radiation safety professionals face continuing challenges with evolving standards, increased proliferation of complex radiation technologies, such as medical sector radiation applications, in an environment of tight resources and increased regulatory scrutiny. The 2018 Congress will offer the opportunity for face to face discussion in all areas of our profession.

Third International Conference on Human Resource Development for Nuclear Power Programmes

• Date: May 28-31, 2018 • Venue: Gyeongju, KOREA • Website: http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameetings/56047/Third-International-Conference-onHuman-Resource-Development-for-Nuclear-Power-Programmes-Meeting-Challenges-to-Ensurethe-Future-Nuclear-Workforce-Capability The IAEA’s third conference on this area, to be held in 2018, will review, across all these stakeholders, the current state of nuclear human resource development (including nuclear education and training) and will address issues such as availability and opportunities for sharing of relevant infrastructure.

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13th International Symposium on the Synthesis and Applications of Isotopes and Isotopically Labelled Compounds

• Date: June 3-7, 2018 • Venue: Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC • Website: http://www.iis-prague2018.cz/ The 13th International Symposium on the Synthesis and Applications of Isotopes and Isotopically Labelled Compounds is going to be held on 4th-7th June 2018 in the capital of the Czech Republic - Prague - the City of a Hundred Spires, included in the UNESCO list of cultural heritage sites. The symposium will take place in the historical rooms of the National House of Vinohrady.

This Symposium is the 13th in the series of international meetings organised by the International Isotope Society every 3 years. Since the beginning of the new millenium the scientists from many diverse fields related to the use of isotopes and isotopically labelled compounds have met in Dresden, Germany (2000), Boston, Massachusetts, USA (2003), Edinburgh, Great Britain (2006), Chicago, Illinois, USA (2009), Heidelberg, Germany (2012) and Princeton, New Jersey, USA (2015).

12th European Conference on Nondestructive Testing

• Date: June 11-15, 2018 • Venue: Gothenburg, SWEDEN • Website: http://www.ecndt2018.com/ 12th ECNDT provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen global collaboration. It is a unique

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occasion to see and to be seen by a large number of specialists in the field of NDT from all over the world. Take the opportunity to promote your organization in a unique exhibition environment where researchers and leading experts meet to share ideas and expertise.

NSREC 2018 — 2018 IEEE Nuclear & Space Radiation Effects Conference

• Date: July 16-20, 2018 • Venue: Waikoloa, HI, USA • Website: http://www.nsrec.com This conference offers a one day "Short Course" and 3 1/2 days of Technical Sessions, including 10 technical sessions (details on the website), a poster session and a Radiation Effects Data workshop.

Conference on Radiation Effects on Components and Systems (RADECS)

• Date: September 16-21, 2018 • Venue: Gothenburg, SWEDEN • Website: http://www.radecs2018.org/ The aim of RADECS conferences is to provide an annual European forum for the presentation and WORLD COUNCIL ON ISOTOPES

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discussion of the latest advances in the field of radiation effects on electronic and photonic materials, devices, circuits, sensors, and systems. The scope of the conference encompasses technological processes and design techniques for producing radiation tolerant systems for space, aeronautical or terrestrial applications, as well as relevant methodologies for their characterization and qualification.

RADECS 2018 is hosted by Cobham Gaisler together with Cobham RAD Europe and Cobham Semiconductor Solutions with the support of the RADECS Association.

64th Annual Radiation Research Society Meeting

• Date: September 23-26, 2018 • Venue: Chicago, IL, USA • Website: http://www.radres.org/mpage/Chicago2018 The 64th Annual Meeting of the Radiation Research Society will be held at the Historic Hilton Chicago Hotel on September 23-26, 2018, in conjunction with the Conference on Radiation & Health. The full day SIT Workshop will be held Saturday, September 22, 2018.

Members of the Program Committee have assembled an outstanding scientific program with exciting plenary speakers, stimulating 8AM topical review sessions, and two presidential symposiums that include speakers with research programs that use state-of-the-art techniques to make important advances in radiation research. Approximately 50% of the speakers for the oral sessions will come from top scoring abstracts.

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Fourth international Conference on Applications of RadiotraCers and Energetic Beams in Sciences (ARCEBS-2018)

• Date: Nov 11-17, 2018 • Venue: Kolkata, INDIA • Website: https://indico.cern.ch/event/674510/

ARCEBS series of conferences offer a perfect blend of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Sciences and other interdisciplinary research areas like radioactive ion beam, superheavy elements, etc. The common link between all the subjects is either use of radiotracers, natural or artificial; or use of energetic beams.

20th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (WCNDT 2020) • Date: June 8-12, 2020 • Venue: Seoul, KOREA • Website: http://www.wcndt2020.com/ The 20th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (WCNDT 2020) hosted by the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing (KSNT) will be held in Seoul, South Korea in June 2020 in association with ICNDT. To Contents

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