Delivery schedule

OPAL 2024 shutdown: update on supply

September 2023

Since we last shared an update regarding the planned shutdown of OPAL in 2024, we’ve been working hard to secure supply options for the nuclear medicine community. 

While this work is still ongoing, we have provided an update below on what we anticipate our supply options will be throughout the planned shutdown. 

Current planned shutdown dates are Monday 18 March 2024 to Friday 5 July 2024, any changes in these dates will be communicated with our stakeholders.

Nuclear Medicine Processing and Distribution Facility maintenance

• For a period of the shutdown (approximately 10 weeks) we will also conduct maintenance on our Nuclear Medicine Processing and Distribution Facility. The current planned dates for this are Monday 18 March 2024 to Friday 24 May 2024.
• Conducting maintenance on two of our key facilities that enable nuclear medicine supply simultaneously will help support reliable supply for Australian patients into the future.
• This maintenance will replace the regular scheduled shutdown of our Nuclear Medicine Processing and Distribution Facility in 2024, which usually occurs in September or October each year.

Product supply

• ANSTO has been working productively with alternative suppliers to source supply for the domestic market during this period.
• We have broadened our supply networks by establishing new supply arrangements with international suppliers.
• These supply arrangements, while always subject to the usual risks of disruptions that can occur in nuclear medicine production, will enable ANSTO to provide some supply of critical nuclear medicine products during the shutdown period.
• Our focus has been on securing alternative supply for Tc-99m generators, I-131 finished products and Lu-177. 
• We’ve been working to minimise disruption wherever possible; however, where ANSTO imports product, we are subject to our suppliers’ product availability and logistics.
• Products that are currently being imported and distributed like Cold Kits (MAA, DTPA and MDP), Iodine-123 MIBG, Iodine-131 MIBG and Gallium-68 generators should not be affected by the shutdown.
• A summary of our nuclear medicine products and their planned availability is below.
• You will notice that supply of Lu-177, bulk I-131, and Cr-51 is due to recommence later in the month of July 2024; these resupply dates align with current supply scheduling and take into consideration the reactor’s restart schedule.

Scheduled maintenance and product supply

6 July 2023

Every year, ANSTO conducts maintenance on its nuclear medicine supply chain. We do this to ensure our operations are safe and support the reliability of nuclear medicine to Australian patients.  

So you can plan for patient procedures, maintenance dates and the supply we expect to have available throughout these periods is below.  

Where ANSTO relies on import supply, we are subject to our partners’ product availability and logistics.    

We’re here to help and will work with you in the coming weeks to minimise any impact on your business.