Concerns over COVID-induced supply shortages fail to stop screening services across Wagga

Last month the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) revealed Australia's largest contrast supplier, GE Healthcare, has been hit by supply shortages due to COVID lockdowns in China.

Contrast is regularly used to enhance CT and other scanning procedures including fluoroscopy and interventional radiology, which supports diagnosis and ongoing treatment for a range of conditions.

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The TGA statement said GE Healthcare notified them of the contrast shortage "due to reduced manufacturing capacity and freight delays caused by the recent unexpected COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai."

A spokesperson for NSW Health said "it is taking steps to minimise any impacts on patient care caused by the current global disruption to the supply of agents which support imaging, such as CT scans, in our hospitals."

"We are in regular, statewide communication with the public health system to provide guidance on stock conservation, the need for local protocols to help staff prioritise urgent imaging, and the use of potential alternative products or imaging techniques," the spokesperson said.

NSW Health is sourcing alternative contrast agents from local and international suppliers.

"At a national level, this global shortage is being addressed by the TGA," the spokesperson said.

"The TGA has recently approved alternative products, not registered in Australia, for importation and supply into Australia to alleviate the shortage. We are working closely with our federal colleagues."

Meanwhile, private scanning services such as Wagga's I-MED Radiology Network have also reassured the public that medical scans will continue as per normal.

"I-MED's CT services in Wagga are not currently impacted by a shortage of contrast," an I-MED spokesperson said.

"We are booking appointments and procedures as normal, appropriate to the clinical needs of patients."

The spokesperson said at a national level they were also "proactively managing alternative options to address any supply issues."

I-MED offers a range of imaging procedures including MRI, CT, x-ray, ultrasound and nuclear medicine.

When injected into the body, contrast enables a radiologist to see what is happening inside the hollow parts of the body, including blood vessels, stomach, bowel or even the fluid around the spinal cord, providing valuable diagnostic information.

GE Healthcare expects to resume normal supply in mid-June.

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