Analysis of the need for fulfillment of radiopharmaceuticals I-131 in nuclear medicine patients in Indonesia

Iodine-131 (I-131) is a radiopharmaceutical widely used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications in thyroid cancer patients and hyperthyroid patients in nuclear medicine. In addition to emitting beta particles that are useful for treating thyroid disorders, such as thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism, Iodine-131 also emits gamma rays that can be used to diagnose thyroid disorders. However, currently, the availability of I-131 in Indonesia is insufficient to meet the needs of nuclear medicine patients. A study has been conducted to determine the need for the use of I-131 and to find out the cause of the problem of inhibiting the fulfillment of the need for I-131 in nuclear medicine patients. the study showed that there was a long waiting list for nuclear medicine therapy patients who had to use I-131. This results in patients with thyroid problems cannot being treated immediately, which adds to the suffering of the patient. The causes of the problem of delaying the fulfillment of I-131 include the lack of domestic production of I-131, the limited number of nuclear medicine facilities, especially the isolation facilities for I-131 therapy patients, the high cost of nuclear medicine construction and operation, and the lack of a grading approach in the provisions of regulations regarding the use of radiopharmaceuticals. Due to the limited number of I-131 radiopharmaceuticals in Indonesia, the need for I-131 must be fulfilled by importing I-131 radiopharmaceuticals from abroad. The availability of I-131 radiopharmaceuticals, which are dominated by imports, has challenges. Besides the price, which is much more expensive than the domestically produced I-131 radiopharmaceutical, the delivery process is also quite long.