A Strategic Collaboration Between Westinghouse and Nordion to Safeguard U.S. Healthcare
Background
Cobalt-60 is a vital radioisotope used in gamma sterilization and is responsible for sterilizing over 16 billion single-use medical devices annually in the United States. These include critical items such as syringes, surgical gloves, catheters, heart valves and bioprocessing equipment used in vaccine production. The technology has been trusted for nearly 70 years due to its deep penetration, uniform dose distribution and compatibility with a wide range of materials.
Despite its importance, the U.S. currently relies entirely on foreign sources for Cobalt-60, with 20–50% of supply coming from Russia. This dependency introduces significant vulnerabilities, especially in light of recent geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the fragility of the sterilization infrastructure, leading to shortages and delays in medical procedures.
To address this critical gap, Westinghouse Electric Company and Nordion (a Sotera Health company) have partnered to develop and deploy first-of-a-kind technology that enables the production of Low Specific Activity (LSA) Cobalt-60 in U.S. Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). This initiative will not only secure a domestic supply, but also enhance national healthcare resilience and reduce reliance on high-risk international sources.
