The Canadian government has allocated $35 million ($35 million U.S.) to four projects to develop new ways to produce the radioisotope technetium-99m (Tc-99m), which is widely used in nuclear medicine.
The two-year Nonreactor-based Isotope Supply Contribution Program (NISP) is designed to advance cyclotron and linear accelerator technologies to achieve a more diverse and secure supply of Tc-99m, with less reliance on nuclear reactor-based production.
If commercialized, the technologies could create a more distributed network of supply hubs to overcome shortcomings in the current supply chain and reduce nuclear waste from medical isotope production.
Participants are Advanced Cyclotron Systems of Richmond, British Columbia; TRIUMF, based in Vancouver, British Columbia; Canadian Light Source of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and the Prairie Isotope Production Enterprise in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Related Reading
Canada funds isotope projects, October 19, 2010
TRIUMF nets $1M in funds, August 31, 2010
Isotope project gets Canada's support, June 23, 2010
Canadian group hopes to develop technetium-producing cyclotron, April 9, 2010
Canada makes investment in isotope production, April 1, 2010
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