Worldwide Shortage of Barium

New submitter redhat_redneck writes "The U.S. and Canada has been experiencing a shortage of barium sulfate, which is used as contrast for upper and lower GI studies. It has reached the point where doctors are being asked not to order these exams except in emergencies, and some exams are being cancelled. Here's the letter that's been put out by the manufacturer. The longer this drags on, the more serious this issue becomes, eventually impacting patients and healthcare providers in both cost and quality of care. Some sources point to a dramatic drop in Chinese production. In their defense, it seems China is changing safety regulations. Medical use only make a fraction of the uses of barium sulfate, but it's going to be disproportionately affected by this shortage. We can't go back to our old contrast Thorotrast; it causes cancer. Does anyone know of alternatives to barium?"

Comments

Re:What the what what?

[mcgrew]

Oh, man... insightful? A non-nerd gets an "insightful" for saying he's not bright enought to understand the summary?

Can someone point me to a REAL nerd site where the above aliterate Anonymous Jock who doesn't give two shits about learning doesn't go?

To the incredibly ignorant AC and the equally ignorant moderator (who shouldn't even be at slashdot, let alone moderating), GI stands for gastrointestinal. Since that's such a big word for an ignorant, uneducated, unlearned jock like yourself, it means your digestive system. GI studies are studies your doctor does on your digestive system.

No, I am not a physician, but unlike the anonymous ignorant aliterate above, I read. I can't comprehend anyone who's not a high school dropout not understanding the summary.

WE'RE NERDS. We understand most scientific and medical terms. When you say "LEO" we don't think "cop" we think "low Earth orbit." If you don't understand scientific or medical terminology, maybe you should just stay away from slashdot? Or maybe stop being an aliterate and read something not on the internet? To paraphrase Twain, an aliterate has no advantage over an illiterate.

Yeah, you though that was a misspelling, didn't you? Go read a fucking book!