Crisis In Nuclear Medicine

In recent years,the quantity of medical isotopes has fallen short of demand.In 2008,the shortage of this radioactive material was 3%.Last year,the shortfall rose to 9%.An increasing number of patients need radiological diagnosis and treatment for conditions such as cancer and heart disease,yet only a limited number of facilities exist to meet the demand,and these are older reactors that may experience shutdowns at a moment's notice.Shortages of isotopes result in postponements and cancellation of procedures,as well as usage of more expensive and less effective ones.
The five main reactors for medical isotope production are in Canada,France,the Netherlands,Belgium and South Africa,yielding 95% of the world supply.About 12,000 curie units of radioactivity are produced weekly for medical use.Last year,Canada's National Research University reactor in Ontario experienced a prolonged shutdown.It was also offline in 2007 for a shorter period.The NRU reactor produces 33% of the world supply;so does the High Flux Reactor in the Netherlands.The Osiris reactor in France produces 7%,as does the BR2 in Belgium,while SAFARI-1 in South Africa yields 15%.Another 5% is produced by smaller reactors globally.There are plans to convert a research reactor in Missouri to medical use as well.
The strict nonproliferation regime,and the difficulty of providing adequate security for the isotopes,which could be used by terrorists to make dirty bombs,complicate the response to the growing need.In 2004,the U.S. secreted medical isotopes,among other nuclear materials,out of Iraq,for fear they would be used in a weapon.

Special Access:The National Intelligence Director

President Barack Obama has planned to retire Cold War era military assets in order to save money.In consequence,National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair says we face some tough decisions about electro-optical systems from that era.Today's enemy is hard to find,easy to kill;the Cold War enemy was easy to find,hard to kill.Today's enemy requires a different kind of intelligence system.As well,we have to get the National Security Agency involved in protecting the larger body-in cyber defense,Mr.Blair remarked to the House Intelligence Committee.As DNI,Mr.Blair oversees all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies.The post was created after the 9-11 attacks.John Negroponte,the first DNI,was his predecessor.Mr.Blair has expressed concern that economic developments pose a threat to national security that even exceeds that of terrorism at the present time.

Special Access:With the General

Thursday is the seventh anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on the United States.Those attacks set off the recession of 2001.National security has a definite economic impact,so I am observing this anniversary with a military update on the Global War on Terror.Major General Jeffrey Schloesser,U.S. Army,is Commander,Combined Joint Task Force 101 in Afghanistan.In a teleconference with reporters at the Pentagon,General Schloesser,wearing his camouflage uniform,noted that there are several Islamic militant groups fighting in Afghanistan.Even the LET,a Kashmiri terrorist group from India,is among them.Al Qaida is serving as ideological ringleader and helping with funding the groups.These militants join together in their quest for a radical Islamic regime in Afghanistan,from where the 9-11 attacks were planned,prepared and directed.There are 7,000-11,000 of them in Eastern Afghanistan.Some of them are expected to remain in the country over the winter,so that they can resume their attacks more quickly when spring arrives.We are not losing the war,General Schloesser feels,though we need to proceed in a more timely manner.The enemy cannot win-even with what we have now.