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The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced today the appointment
of Dr. Alexander (Sandy) McEwan as Special Advisor on Medical Isotopes to the
Minister of Health for the duration of the isotope shortage.
"Dr. McEwan is an internationally respected expert on nuclear medicine
and also has a thorough understanding of the Canadian health-care system,
as well as Health Canada's regulatory powers and responsibilities,"
said Minister Aglukkaq. "His unique combination of qualifications
will be of great assistance to me and our partners as we continue to develop
mitigation strategies and options to address the shortage."
Dr. McEwan is a member of Health Canada's Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Medical
Isotopes and has been since the group was struck in 2007. He is Past President
of the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM ) and has been involved at the highest
levels of the Canadian Society of Nuclear Medicine. Dr. McEwan is also a member
of Health Canada's Regulatory Working Group on Medical Isotopes.
Dr. McEwan's work as Special Advisor on Medical Isotopes will include: providing
on-the-ground updates on the situation and how it is affecting patients; advising
on how Health Canada can best support provinces, territories and the medical
community on the use of alternatives and mitigation strategies; and supporting
the Minister in communicating the impact of the current shortage. These duties
will supplement the work of the Ad Hoc Group of Medical Experts, which will
continue to inform Government actions on this file.
"On behalf of the nuclear medicine community, with whom we are working
closely, we are pleased by the appointment of Dr. McEwan as Special Advisor
on Medical Isotopes to the Minister of Health," said Dr. Robert
Ouellet, President of the Canadian Medical Association. "The appointment
recognizes the seriousness of the current situation and the importance of
nuclear medicine in the provision of health care to Canadian patients. We
look forward to continuing to work with the Minister, Dr. McEwan and governments
to address the situation."
The health and safety of Canadians remains the Government's top priority and
Health Canada continues to take measures to minimize the impact of the shortage
on Canadians. In addition to working with domestic stakeholders on contingency
planning, Health Canada has also shared guidelines with the provinces and territories
to help health-care providers manage the extended Chalk River reactor shutdown.
These guidelines are based on work undertaken by the province of Ontario and
draw on the medical expertise of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Medical Isotopes,
as well as other health-care providers. Health Canada also continues to work
closely with the Federal, Provincial, Territorial Working Group on Medical Isotopes,
which is playing a key role in contingency planning and managing the shortage.
"We have been working hard with our Ad Hoc Group of Medical Experts
on Isotopes and our provincial and territorial partners to help minimize the
impact of the isotope shortage on the health needs of Canadians,"
added Minister Aglukkaq. "As a result of this cooperative work and
the tremendous efforts of the Canadian nuclear medicine community, contingency
measures are in place and alternate isotopes and sources of supply are rapidly
being approved by Health Canada."
Health Canada also continues to receive requests for approvals of alternate
isotopes. These regulatory requests are being reviewed on an urgent basis to
provide health-care providers with options as quickly as possible. This is part
of Health Canada's ongoing work on the medical isotope shortage to ensure that
Canadians continue to have access to the highest standards of care. Other areas
of focus include encouraging reactor operators abroad to ramp up production,
expediting the regulation of isotope alternatives, and working with the medical
community and provinces and territories on contingency plans to manage the shortage.
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