any one know why there's a barium shortage???

So, after talking with the Guelph bariatric clinic, awesome woman on the phone, BTW, I've booked my tests that are listed with my orientation letter.  1) the nurse practitioner forgot to book a sleep study (ugh)   2) I called the imaging centre and they are not able to book an upper GI due to a shortage of barium and they cannot tell me when they'll be getting an order in, she thought it was just Guelph but apparently she's heard it may be nationally????? WTF???

 there has been a growing shortage of radioactive isotopes for quite a while.  The plant that manufactures them has been closed and on limited start up for quite a while.  The feds are not upgrading the nuclear facilities that are needed to safely make these.  There was a time, and I'm not sure its gone, that Canada could be a world leader in nuclear medicine and pharmaceuticals, but that requires politicians with a longer outlook than four years and enough balls to ignore the radicals that are aganst such medicine.  The last few sentences are just my opinion!  

Where do you live? You don't have to get your test done at the Guelph General...just because you are having your surgery done there. I got mine done at the hospital where I work, we are currently not in shortage that I am aware of and they are on the same system as Guelph the results go to Guelph electronically.

Private Message me if you want more info.

I had surgery at the guelph general hospital but had that test in london. Find out if london can book you in through your doctor. of course if they are not short too.... 

Good luck!

Melissa!

I work in a imaging dept. and today i did several UGI and Ba Enemas with no shortage in site. Not a national shortage. I agree with Ian S and his comments about the isotope shortage and Canada being able to serve the world as a leader in creating them, but FYI, barium is not radioactive, and does not have any isotopes in it, its actually a naturally occuring metal.

 sorry, thought it was!  how does it show up if its not radioactive?  doesn't matter, just interested.  

dont be sorry, lol. its because its a heavy metal and thusly,radio-opaque. which means that the xrays do not penetrate the barium and give a bright appearance on fluroscopic, CT and xray studies. hope that helps!!!

 thanks ChrisC74!  have admired that field from afar for many years.  I remember Bristol Myers Squibb was doing a lot of business in the radio isotopes field in the late 80s and have kinda followed many problems Chalk River has had over the years.  It fascinates me how the feds can let such a business just evaporate, considering how important it is to nuclear medicine and Canada's place in the world in general ( and this goes WAY before the current administration).  

I couldnt agree more Ian, its baffeling how they can just ignore something of such importance and for that matter prestige, for us as a leader in the medical field the world over. as far as this field i to admired it, and after much deliberation, my wife whole heartedly supported me in my return to study medical radiation technology at the age of 35, never too late!!