Topic: Access to Medical Isotopes
Country: Germany
Delegate Name: Marie Hetherington
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Germany position papers GLIMUN 2014 committees
The origins of nuclear medicine can be traced all the way back to the 1920s when German scientist George de Hevesy conducted experiments displaying the metabolic pathways of rats using radionuclides. This first establishment of the tracer principle paved the way for nuclear medicine as we know it today. The use of radioactive materials in medicine is used primarily for early diagnosis, but can also be used in the treatment of some diseases. There are 40 million procedures using technetium (Tc-99) each year, in over 10,000 hospitals. The demand for Molybdeum (Mo-99) is on the rise, while production remains the same. There are only five reactors that produce Mo-99. NRU, SAFARI, OSIRIS, BR2, and HFR, located in Canada, South Africa, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, respectively. Updates to the facilities are needed, as they are all more than forty years old.
In 2011, Germany enacted a policy to phase out of nuclear energy, and eight nuclear reactors in Germany have been shut down. The German public is strongly opposed to nuclear power, however, the need for nuclear medicine is evident. It is key that Mo-99 is produced in a safe way that is non-threatening to our environment. To prevent Mo-99 shortages, the existing reactors need to be upgraded, and in the case of extreme shortages, new reactors should be opened.
The transportation of medical isotopes, as with any radioactive materials, requires careful consideration to prevent any accidents. Seeing as there are only five reactors that produce Mo-99, and very few processors, logistics is vital. The hospitals receive technetium generators, which are lead pots enclosing a glass tube containing the radioisotope. To ensure the security of both the Mo-99 and the population, strict guidelines concerning the transportation methods of the radioisotopes must be established.
Germany hopes to solve the pressing problem of medical isotope shortages. While the use of radioisotopes in medicine is extremely important; the wellbeing of our environment must also be taken into consideration. We must take all measures possible to prevent any disasters in the existing reactors.
