Efforts to strengthen U.S. domestic nuclear medical supply

Nuclear fusion developers are advancing plans to produce key medical radioisotopes in the United States, a move that could ease shortages and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. The shift focuses on technetium-99m, a material used in most nuclear medicine scans for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Technetium-99m is derived from molybdenum-99, which is largely manufactured in overseas fission reactors. Shipments to the U.S. can be delayed, damaged, or lost, creating supply gaps for hospitals. Industry executives say the material must be delivered several times each week because it decays rapidly.

Shine Technologies, a nuclear fusion company, is developing devices designed to generate molybdenum-99 domestically. The firm says fusion is sustainable and cost-effective compared with fission, which currently dominates global production. Shine reports that it has achieved the technical milestones needed for isotope production and expects its Wisconsin facilities to be operating within two years.

The company says domestic output could reduce product losses during transport and stabilize the flow of isotopes to medical providers. Shine is already selling other isotopes and says the activity supports investment in its fusion plant.

Although the radioisotopes Shine plans to produce now come from foreign reactors, other cancer-treating isotopes are already made in the U.S. using particle accelerators. NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is among the companies manufacturing accelerator-based materials. A NorthStar executive said fusion-generated isotopes would complement accelerator products because they serve different diagnostic and therapeutic needs.

Cardinal Health, which also produces isotopes with particle accelerators, expects demand to rise as the population grows and ages. The company says more patients will require precision medicines that rely on radioactive materials. New radiopharmaceuticals are also being developed for conditions beyond cancer, including cardiology and Alzheimer’s disease.

Executives say past shortages linked to foreign reactor disruptions highlight the importance of strengthening domestic supply. Industry leaders believe fusion-based production could increase reliability, support future growth, and improve access to treatments for patients nationwide.