Covidien: new source of medical isotopes

Covidien, A global provider of products for healthcare, and the Institute for Atomic Energy of Poland (IAE POLATOM) announce an agreement to expand and further diversify the supply of Molybdenum 99 (Mo 99) by Covidien to produce the medical isotope technetium-99m (Tc 99m).

99m Tc is a critical medical isotopes used in more than 80% of all diagnostic nuclear medicine and functional studies of organs and anatomical systems. The information from these studies are used by many medical professionals (including radiologists, nephrologists, oncologists and cardiologists) to better diagnose and treat patients. Over 35 million nuclear medicine procedures are performed annually worldwide, including over half the United States.

Adding the Maria research reactor of the IAE POLATOM the global supply chain of Covidien Covidien should enable to meet the needs of more than a million additional patients, only six months after the supply of Mo99 begins.

“This is a historic agreement. This is the first time in decades that a new reactor is added to the global supply chain for medical isotopes,” said Timothy R. Wright, President of Covidien Pharmaceuticals. “We welcome this collaboration which will allow more than one million patients worldwide have access to essential medical isotopes in this period of severe”.