News this week that the Chalk River nuclear reactor will be down for another eight months shouldn’t have too much of an effect on local hospitals and patient care.
Grey Bruce Health Services President and CEO Maureen Solecki says while its not good news — they’ve already been doing some shuffling and prioritizing of patients since the reactor went off line in May because of a leak.
Since then, Grey Bruce Health Services, along with many hospitals across the province have had to get their medical isotopes from other sources — in particular, Belgium where production of isotopes has increased.
Solecki says with this latest news of a long term closure — Grey Bruce Health Services hospitals will continue to prioritize cardiac and cancer patients according to need.
Chalk River is one of the leading suppliers of medical isotopes around the world.
They’re used mainly to detect bone cancer, assist in breast cancer surgery as well as for heart ailments.
As an alternative — hospitals have been using MRI’s, ultrasounds and CaT scans.
Atomic Energy of Canada says Chalk River won’t be up and running again until at least next spring after a detailed inspection found several areas in need of repair.