Mr. Speaker, the contingency measures and strategies being used by doctors include triaging patients to ensure that when alternatives are not available they can receive Tc99 isotopes. They are also working flexible hours so that when they do receive Tc99 isotopes they can maximize their use and minimize the delays.
Using alternatives wherever possible was one of the alternatives identified by the medical experts on isotopes as lessons learned in 2007, and those options, such as thallium, which is very effective in this case, are available to the provinces and territories.