The chief executive of Canadian healthcare company MDS wants the Canadian government and Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) to reverse the decision to cancel the construction of two nuclear reactors dedicated to medical isotopes.
Stephen DeFalco said that MDS plans to hold discussions with the Canadian government on the issue. DeFalco's comments were made during a conference call with financial analysts and reported in Thursday's edition of The Globe and Mail in Toronto.
AECL announced in May that it would discontinue development of two Maple nuclear reactors at Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario. Chalk River supplies more than two-thirds of the world's radioisotopes for MDS and its radioisotope developer MDS Nordion of Kanata, Ontario, which is responsible for about 50% of the world supply.
The Globe and Mail quoted DeFalco as saying, "We're hoping more rational minds prevail here in government and are trying to have that dialogue. In our minds this decision is far from completed."
He added that MDS was not consulted before AECL announced its decision to shutter plans for the two new Chalk River reactors.
Related Reading
MDS rallies in Q2 results, June 5, 2008
SNM explores feasibility of U.S. medical isotope source, May 22, 2008
Canadian government to stop development of Maple reactors, May 16, 2008
New York hedge fund attempts to split MDS, April 11, 2008
Reactor shutdown hurts MDS Nordion's Q1, March 6, 2008
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