Executive Summary:
This document is the Government of India's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2835 regarding the shortage of medical radioisotopes, answered on August 6, 2025. It details the domestic production of key radioisotopes, demand-supply gaps, instances of spoilage, hospital shortages, the status of a PPP-based isotope reactor, and plans to expand nuclear medicine infrastructure. The response is provided by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions and Prime Ministers Office, Dr. Jitendra Singh.
Key Points / Main Content:
Domestic Radioisotope Production:
* Lutetium-177: Domestic production ranges from 1000-1200 Curie, meeting 85-90% of national demand.
* Iodine-131: Domestic production ranges from 1000-1200 Curie; production partially caters to domestic demand.
* Molybdenum-99: Domestic production ranges from 8000-10000 Curie; production is insufficient to meet national demand.
* Fluorine-18: Domestic production ranges from 300-400 Curie; production is limited to nearby hospitals due to its short halflife and is insufficient to meet national demand.
Demand-Supply Mismatch:
* Gallium-68: There is no demand-supply mismatch.
* Molybdenum-99: There is a demand-supply mismatch.
* Lutetium-177: There is an approximate 10-15 gap in demand and supply.
Spoilage and Shortages:
* Instances of radioisotope spoilage due to transportation delays or inadequate cold-chain infrastructure: NIL.
* Government and private hospitals that faced shortages or delays in receiving medical isotopes during the last year: NIL.
PPP-Based Isotope Reactor:
* Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has obtained in-principle approval for the project.
* The Detailed Project Report is under review for administrative and financial sanction.
* Expected production start date: around 2035.
* Expected production capacity: 0.5 MCi (million Curie) of radioisotopes.
Expansion of Nuclear Medicine Infrastructure:
* Tata Memorial Centre has already expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure in Tier 2 cities (New Chandigarh, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Varanasi, Muzaffarpur Bihar) and a Tier 3 city (Sangrur Punjab).
Impact Analysis:
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE):
* Impact: DAE, through its units like BRIT and BARC, is responsible for the production and development of radioisotopes and related infrastructure.
* Action Required: BRIT needs to address the demand-supply gap for Molybdenum-99 and Lutetium-177. BARC needs to continue the progress of the PPP-based isotope reactor project.
Hospitals (Government and Private):
* Impact: Hospitals rely on the supply of medical radioisotopes for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
* Action Required: Hospitals need to continue coordinating with suppliers to ensure timely delivery of radioisotopes.
Patients:
* Impact: Availability and affordability of radioisotopes directly affect access to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
* Action Required: None specified in the document.
Tata Memorial Centre (TMC):
* Impact: TMC is leading the expansion of nuclear medicine infrastructure to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
* Action Required: TMC needs to continue its efforts to expand affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure.
Key Entities Referenced
SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL: Member of Parliament who raised the question about shortage of medical radioisotopes.
DR. JITENDRA SINGH: The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions and Prime Minister's Office who provided the answer to the question.
Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT): 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.
Lutetium-177 (Lu-177): A key medical radioisotope used for cancer treatment, with domestic production fulfilling 85-90% of the country's demand.
Iodine-131 (I-131): A key medical radioisotope, part of the domestic demand is catered to.
Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99): A key medical radioisotope used as parent Curie of Tc-99m, facing a demand-supply mismatch.
Fluorine-18 (F-18): A key medical radioisotope, produced at MCF, Parel and Cyclon30 are supplied to nearby hospitals only and not sufficient to meet national demand.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC): A Research and Development unit under Department of Atomic Energy DAE has obtained in principle approval for the PPPbased isotope reactor project.
New Chandigarh, Punjab: A Tier-2 city where Tata Memorial Centre has expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure.
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh: A Tier-2 city where Tata Memorial Centre has expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure.
Bhubaneswar, Odisha: A Tier-2 city where Tata Memorial Centre has expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure.
Guwahati, Assam: A Tier-2 city where Tata Memorial Centre has expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: A Tier-2 city where Tata Memorial Centre has expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure.
Muzaffarpur, Bihar: A Tier-2 city where Tata Memorial Centre has expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure.
Sangrur, Punjab: A Tier-3 city where Tata Memorial Centre has expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure.
Tata Memorial Centre (TMC): A Grant-in-Aid institution under DAE that has expanded affordable nuclear medicine infrastructure in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
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 Tc-
99m, 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.Quantity Whether this Details thereof
Names of key
domestic production
medical
is sufficient to meet
radioisotopes
national demand
(Yes or No)
Lutetium-177 1000-1200 Curie Lu-177: Yes BRIT fulfills ~ 85-90
(Lu-177) % of country’s
demand for Lu-177
while part of the
domestic demand is
Iodine-131 1000-1200 Curie I-131: No catered to in case of I-
(I-131) 131 and Mo-99.
F-18 [half-life: 110
Molybdenum-99 8000-10000 Mo-99: No min] being short lived
(Mo-99) (parent Curie poses a logistical
of Tc-99m) challenge and limits its
Fluorine-18 300-400 Curie F-18: No distribution range.
(F-18) 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 Lu-
177.
(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 Tier–
3 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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