To deal with the further shortage of isotopes, local physicians are budding contingency plans as many reactors are going to shut down in near future. European reactor is alarming to shut down so the opposition is asking Ottawa to develop tactics to make sure the continued supply of medical isotopes.

The Petten reactor is scheduled to be turned off on 19 February to fix leaks and is not expected to reopen for months. Liberal MPs sent a letter to Natural Resources Minister and Health Minister to inform that there is no plan to deal with the shortage of isotopes being created by Petten reactor in the Netherlands.

"We are not having any large difficulties in accessing products to do the tests that we need to do", said Karen Gulenchyn, Chief of Nuclear Medicine at Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph's Healthcare.

About 275 to 300 procedures are done each week, on average, in Hamilton. Those who were in short supply, doctors have surrogated more available radiopharmaceuticals.