Lok Sabha Question No. 2835 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: Shortage of Medical Radioisotopes
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Hanuman Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2835

ANSWERED ON 06/08/2025

## SHORTAGE OF MEDICAL RADIOISOTOPES

## 2835. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) the names and quantities of key medical radioisotopes currently produced indigenously for cancer diagnosis and treatment and whether this domestic production is sufficient to meet national demand and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether there is a consistent demand-supply mismatch in medical isotopes such as Tc99m, Lu-177, and Ga-68 and if so, the average gap between production and requirement during the last two years;
- (c) the number of instances in which radioisotopes or radiopharmaceuticals got spoiled or rendered unusable due to transportation delays or inadequate cold-chain infrastructure;
- (d) the number of Government and private hospitals that faced shortage or delay in receiving medical isotopes during the last year;
- (e) the status of the proposed PPP-based isotope reactor initiative, its expected production capacity and timelines; and
- (f) whether the Government  has any plan to expand affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure to Tier-2 & Tier-3 cities, particularly to strengthen early cancer diagnosis in public hospitals and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) The details are as follows:

Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT) is a Constituent Unit of Department of Atomic Energy which provides products and services based on radiation & isotopes for applications in healthcare, agriculture, research and industry.

| Names of key medical radioisotopes       | Quantity         | Whether this domestic production is sufficient to meet national demand (Yes or No)   | Details thereof                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|------------------------------------------|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Lutetium-177 (Lu-177)                    | 1000-1200 Curie  | Lu-177: Yes                                                                          | BRIT fulfills ~ 85-90 % of country's demand for Lu-177 while part of the domestic demand is catered to in case of I- 131 and Mo-99. F-18 [half-life: 110 min] being short lived poses a logistical challenge and limits its distribution range. Thus, F-18 products produced at MCF, Parel and Cyclon-30 are supplied to nearby hospitals only and not sufficient to meet national demand. |
| Iodine-131 (I-131)                       | 1000-1200 Curie  | I-131: No                                                                            | BRIT fulfills ~ 85-90 % of country's demand for Lu-177 while part of the domestic demand is catered to in case of I- 131 and Mo-99. F-18 [half-life: 110 min] being short lived poses a logistical challenge and limits its distribution range. Thus, F-18 products produced at MCF, Parel and Cyclon-30 are supplied to nearby hospitals only and not sufficient to meet national demand. |
| Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) (parent of Tc-99m) | 8000-10000 Curie | Mo-99: No                                                                            | BRIT fulfills ~ 85-90 % of country's demand for Lu-177 while part of the domestic demand is catered to in case of I- 131 and Mo-99. F-18 [half-life: 110 min] being short lived poses a logistical challenge and limits its distribution range. Thus, F-18 products produced at MCF, Parel and Cyclon-30 are supplied to nearby hospitals only and not sufficient to meet national demand. |
| Fluorine-18 (F-18)                       | 300-400 Curie    | F-18: No                                                                             | BRIT fulfills ~ 85-90 % of country's demand for Lu-177 while part of the domestic demand is catered to in case of I- 131 and Mo-99. F-18 [half-life: 110 min] being short lived poses a logistical challenge and limits its distribution range. Thus, F-18 products produced at MCF, Parel and Cyclon-30 are supplied to nearby hospitals only and not sufficient to meet national demand. |

- (b) There is no demand-supply mismatch in Ga-68.  However, there is a demand-supply mismatch for Mo-99 and approximately 10-15 % gap in demand and supply of Lu177.
- (c) NIL.
- (d) NIL.
- (e) Bhabha  Atomic  Research  Centre,  a  Research  and  Development  unit  under Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has obtained in principle approval for the PPP-based  isotope  reactor  project  and  Detailed  Project  Report  (DPR)  is  under review  for  administrative  and  financial  sanction  of  project.    It  is  expected  that production is likely to start around 2035 with 0.5 MCi(million Curie)radio-isotope production capacity.
- (f) Yes.  Tata  Memorial  Centre  (TMC),  a  Grant-in-Aid  institution  under  DAE  has already expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure in Tier-2 and      Tier3  cities.  The  name  of  such  Tier-2  cities  are  New  Chandigarh,  Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Varanasi, Muzaffarpur (Bihar) and Tier-3 city is Sangrur (Punjab).

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