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Opening Remarks

The symposium featured representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies), and the Russian Academy of Sciences providing opening remarks. This chapter summarizes their addresses.

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

The IAEA is an independent international organization that is related to the United Nations system. Mr. Christophe Xerri (Department of Nuclear Energy, IAEA) and Ms. Meera Venkatesh (Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA) opened the symposium with welcoming remarks and introductory comments on the significance of ensuring a reliable and sustainable medical isotope supply. The IAEA has played a central role in reviewing available technologies for production of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99)/technetium-99m (Tc-99m) (see, e.g., IAEA, 2015, 2017) and assisting Member States with evaluation of options and adoption of technologies to produce Mo-99 and other medical isotopes by

1. Promoting scientific and technical cooperation and transfer of nuclear technologies to Member States; and
2. Establishing coordinated research projects (CRP) between developed and developing countries.

Mr. Joao Osso (IAEA) informed the symposium participants about a CRP titled New Ways of Producing Tc-99m and Tc-99m Generators. The objective of the CRP is to create guidelines for enhancing and strengthening the capabilities of Member States in developing alternative routes for the production of Mo-99/Tc-99m, in particular using linear accelerators. The CRP also aims to provide guidelines for optimization of the performance of low- and medium-specific-activity generators. The CRP was open for proposals at the time of this writing.

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Dr. Ourania Kosti (National Academies) provided introductory comments on behalf of Dr. Hedvig Hricak (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center), chair of the National Academies committee that organized the symposium. She noted that the National Academies have been tasked by the U.S. government to report on issues related to medical isotope production at least three times in the recent past:

• In 2007, the National Academies issued a report titled Advancing Nuclear Medicine Through Innovation (IOM and NRC, 2007). The report was authored by a committee chaired by Dr. Hedvig Hricak. It highlighted several emerging opportunities in nuclear medicine, but cautioned that “deteriorating infrastructure and loss of federal research support are jeopardizing the advancement of nuclear medicine.”
• In 2009, the National Academies issued a report titled Medical Isotope Production Without Highly Enriched Uranium (NRC, 2009) The report was authored by a committee chaired by Dr. Christopher Whipple (ENVIRON, retired). This study was carried out under a congressional mandate contained in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to examine the technical and economic feasibility of producing medical isotopes without highly enriched uranium (HEU). The study report concluded that production of medical isotopes without HEU was economically and technically feasible.
• In 2016, the National Academies issued a report titled Molybdenum-99 for Medical Imaging (NASEM, 2016). The report was authored by a committee chaired by Dr. S. James Adelstein (Harvard Medical School). That study was carried out under another congressional mandate contained in the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2012 to examine progress made toward establishing U.S.-based production of Mo-99 and eliminating worldwide use of HEU from reactor targets and medical isotope facilities. The study report concluded that despite efforts from both existing global suppliers and potential domestic (to the United States) suppliers, any delays in bringing additional supplies of Mo-99 to the market would increase the risks of shortages.

The report also noted Russia’s aspiration to become a global producer of Mo-99 without a commitment or schedule for eliminating HEU from reactor targets. The report recommended that the U.S. government pursue opportunities for engagements between U.S. and Russian scientific and technical organizations to better understand Russia’s plans related to Mo-99 production.

Dr. Kosti noted that this recommendation likely led the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE-NNSA) to ask the National Academies to host the symposium on Opportunities and Approaches for Supplying Molybdenum-99 and Associated Medical Isotopes to Global Markets. The objective of the symposium was to bring together U.S., Russian, and other international experts to promote the establishment of working relationships among global experts, especially U.S. and Russian experts, and to foster a common understanding of global supply chain needs and requirements. The symposium was organized on the premise that sale of Russian-produced Mo-99 to global markets could help further improve supply reliability. However, the sale of Russian HEU-sourced Mo-99 could interrupt the full adoption of current market and policy trends toward production of Mo-99 from non-HEU sources. Russia is investing in non-HEU Mo-99 production methods because it realizes that selling non-HEU-sourced Mo-99 is a recognized requirement for producers aspiring to capture a share of the global market. (See Chapter 6 for more information.)

RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

Prof. Stepan Kalmykov (Moscow State University), chair of the symposium organizing committee of the Russian Academy of Sciences, recognized the significance of collaboration and cooperation between the U.S. and Russian academies in areas of mutual interest, which include nuclear applications. Since 1959, collaboration has been conducted in the form of visits of experts, exchanges of scientific publications and materials, technical meetings, symposia, joint studies, and research projects.

In carrying out their joint activities, the two academies have cooperated often with relevant international organizations, notably the IAEA. The symposium on Opportunities and Approaches for Supplying Molybdenum-99 and Associated Medical Isotopes to Global Markets is an example of the inter-academies and IAEA cooperation.

In closing, Prof. Kalmykov honored the memory of his colleague, Academician Nikolai Laverov, who passed away in 2016. Academician Laverov was vice president of the Russian Academy of Sciences and chairman of the scientific-technical Council of the State Corporation, Rosatom. An expert in the field of geology and nuclear energy, Academician Laverov was a strong proponent and supporter of exchange of knowledge and information between U.S. and Russian scientists. Academician Laverov was recognized for his scientific achievements and

collaborative spirit in many countries outside Russia, including the United States. He was elected a foreign member of the National Academies in 2005, for his leadership in the uses of uranium and for the direction of national and international programs for the management of radioactive waste.

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