Problem Solving Inspiration

"You have all at once probably over 70% of the world production down. That's the problem. Everybody in the community is holding his breath right now. If they're not back on track this weekend, we're in as much trouble as we were in 2009.
"We were in a fragile equilibrium and it changed when the machine in Chalk River went down.
"We would estimate a shortage of at least 30% in the availability of Tc-99m" (technetium isotopes -- "on Thursday, November 21 and of 50% on Friday, November 22.
"For the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, November 23 and 24, the demand would be normally lower and availability will vary depending on suppliers."
Dr. Norman Laurin, nuclear medicine physician, Trois Rivieres, Quebec

Theheavy water facility at Arak, Iran -- photo: Hamid Foroutan

Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has not spoken to the press. But it has been explained that an unplanned shutdown of the Chalk River nuclear reactor has placed Canada on the verge of a major shortage of medical isotopes, according to Dr. Norman Laurin, president of the Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine, in a series of announcements on Friday.

It just happens to coincide at a time when two of the world's other three major producers of medical isotopes have themselves temporarily gone out of operation. In 2009 a shutdown at Chalk River due to safety concerns coincided as well with a shutdown of the Netherlands' generator which had the effect of compromising between 60 to 70 percent of the world's medical isotopes needs.

Technetium is derived from molybdenum-99 isotopes produced by nuclear generators. It is required for a wide range of medical tests including the diagnosing of pulmonary embolisms, blot cots in the lung that can become fatal, or blockages in arteries leading into the heart.

In early November this year production had been stopped at the South African Nuclear Energy Corp.'s reactor at Pelindaba, near the capital Pretoria, the result of a leak having been detected from the reactor. As well, the Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group, operating the Dutch production facility made a November 8 announcement it had shut down resulting from safety concerns.

Atomic Energy of Canada, said Dr. Laurin, would know by early Saturday whether operations at the aging Chalk River reactor could resume. Should production restart, the shortage would soon be resolved. Alternately, a severe shortage of isotopes that will ensue will force hospitals to perform other methods of imaging procedures.

Iran's nuclear negotiators may not have heard of the situation, just yet, since they're so heavily involved in reassuring the G5+1 that their aspirations in achieving nuclear proficiency is meant only for civilian purposes, including the production of medical isotopes. Indeed, should they decide to tailor their programming efficiently enough, they might be able to wrap up the world market for medical isotopes.

The question is might that provide them with sufficient empowerment to satisfy their need to control the world?