Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the cancellation of flights flying in Russia's airspace has led to the securing of raw materials for "radiopharmaceuticals" used for inspections of cancer, etc., which all rely on imports. It's getting harder.
According to the association that handles radioactive materials, some tests may be temporarily unavailable at medical institutions in the first half of next week.
According to the Japan Radioisotope Association, a specialized agency that handles radioactive substances, the radioactive substance "molybdenum 99" imported from the Netherlands and other countries has been canceled due to the continuous cancellation of flights between Japan and Europe by flying in the territory of Russia. Procurement is getting tighter.
Molybdenum 99 is a raw material for pharmaceuticals used in "nuclear medicine examinations" to examine the function of organs when diagnosing cancer, dementia, etc. by making use of the extremely small amount of radiation emitted, and the amount of radiation is half. The "half-life" that decreases to 6 hours is as short as 6 hours, and it cannot be stocked.
According to the association, supply of a total of seven products manufactured by two domestic companies is expected to be restricted from the 7th to the 8th of this month at the beginning of the week, and some medical institutions will not be able to temporarily inspect them. It means that it may be affected.
According to the Japan Radioisotope Association, "Currently, raw materials are 100% imported, and there is confusion such as the inability to carry out the inspections scheduled at medical institutions. Next week, transportation will resume on routes that do not pass over Russia. However, the situation is unpredictable. "