{"id":31521,"date":"2023-04-05T15:52:39","date_gmt":"2023-04-05T14:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=31521"},"modified":"2023-05-23T08:36:32","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T07:36:32","slug":"how-the-helium-shortage-is-impacting-the-medical-devices-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/how-the-helium-shortage-is-impacting-the-medical-devices-industry\/31521\/","title":{"rendered":"How the helium shortage is impacting the medical devices industry"},"content":{"rendered":"
In recent years, an ongoing shortage of helium has been affecting a wide range of industries. Pulsar Helium<\/a>, an industry-leading helium development company, is working expeditiously to remedy these supply chain issues. Pulsar’s premier Topaz<\/a> and Tunu<\/a> helium projects, located in the US and Greenland, respectively, can potentially yield some of the highest-grade helium globally. Projects such as Pulsar\u2019s will be instrumental in reinforcing global helium supplies and overcoming the global helium shortage.<\/p>\n One such industry that is particularly impacted by the helium shortage is the medical devices sector, as this resource serves a critical role in its operation and development. This article will explore how the current helium shortage has affected this industry and what implications it may have for both manufacturers and consumers alike.<\/p>\n Helium is essential to many aspects of modern-day life, from party balloons to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. In particular, it plays a major role in the medical device industry, providing coolant for lasers used in surgical procedures or being incorporated into other types of equipment used to diagnose or monitor patients’ conditions. As such, any supply disruption can cause delays and contribute to increased costs associated with producing these products.<\/p>\n The current state of affairs provides a unique challenge to those involved in the medical device industry due to their need for reliable access to high-quality and cost-effective helium resources.<\/a> To gain better insight into this issue, we must first understand why there is a scarcity of helium and how it impacts production processes. Through further analysis, potential solutions may be identified which could ease the burden placed on companies operating within the medical devices field due to this ongoing helium shortage.<\/p>\n Helium is a non-renewable resource that is essential for many medical devices. It is used to create low-temperature environments and maintain the stability of certain electronic components, particularly in MRI machines and other imaging technologies. The ongoing helium shortage, however, has been adversely impacting the medical devices industry.<\/p>\n On the one hand, there are limited sources of helium naturally occurring on our planet; it is mostly found trapped beneath the Earth’s surface in natural gas deposits. On the other hand, considerable amounts of helium have been extracted from these reserves over recent decades due to its numerous industrial applications. This extraction process has led to an imbalance between supply and demand that has caused prices to skyrocket while availability decreases dramatically.<\/p>\n Significant technological advancements are required to reduce our dependence on this finite resource or find alternative solutions to replace its use in medical equipment without compromising safety or efficacy standards. However, until those innovations become a reality, any disruption of supplies could pose severe challenges for manufacturers and healthcare facilities alike.<\/p>\n To better understand why this shortage exists, it is important to examine its causes. First, one of the main reasons for the shortage of helium is attributed to global production cuts caused by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Many countries have placed limits on industrial activities, resulting in decreased economic activity and fewer goods being produced or sold globally. As a result, companies producing helium could not keep up with demand during this period since there was much less raw material available for them to work with. Additionally, some producers shut down operations altogether due to financial losses from reduced sales and workforce reductions related to COVID-19 measures.<\/p>\n Second, another major cause of helium shortages is related to politics and geopolitical events worldwide. For example, US sanctions against Russia’s Gazprom gas company have significantly restricted supplies coming out of Siberia – where much of the world’s natural gas reserves are located – thus creating further disruptions in availability. In addition, certain Middle Eastern nations such as Qatar have been experiencing political unrest over recent years, hampered their ability to export large amounts of liquefied natural gas (LNG) used to supply liquid helium worldwide.<\/p>\n Finally, the depletion of existing sources has also contributed greatly to current levels of scarcity across markets today. Not only are a few new sources being discovered, but those already present are gradually drying up or becoming more difficult\/expensive to access safely and efficiently due to a lack of technological advancements or other factors. All these problems combined have created an imbalance between supply and demand, pushing prices higher than ever before for many essential products, such as MRIs requiring liquid helium cooling systems.<\/p>\n Without access to sufficient quantities of this rare gas, manufacturers cannot produce high-quality products for hospitals and healthcare professionals. As demand has increased due to the ongoing pandemic, supplies have become increasingly limited. This lack of availability has resulted in rising costs and delays in production and delivery times. Without access to affordable and reliable sources of helium, companies are struggling to keep up with customer needs while maintaining their margins. These issues can impede patient diagnosis and treatments, resulting in poorer outcomes and higher mortality rates across the board.<\/p>\n To address these challenges, governments must prioritise investments into new sources of helium supply, such as geothermal extraction or air separation plants, to ensure adequate availability for the medical devices industry. Additionally, further research should be conducted into alternative materials that could replace helium within certain applications, giving manufacturers more options when sourcing components.<\/p>\n To mitigate these issues, many medical device companies have shifted their focus toward alternative gases, such as nitrogen or argon, that can replace helium in certain applications. While this does not fully offset losses related to price hikes and component delays, it provides a short-term solution until new sources of helium become available or existing reserves increase enough to meet demand levels again. Taking proactive steps now can help guarantee a secure future for our healthcare systems and those who rely upon them.<\/p>\n The helium shortage has caused prices to skyrocket. To illustrate the magnitude of the issue, it can be likened to an unwanted guest who refuses to leave – with each passing day, the impact of rising helium costs becomes increasingly detrimental.<\/p>\n The medical device industry has not been immune to these price increases; they have had to adapt their purchasing strategies due to ever-changing availability and cost. Many manufacturers are stockpiling as much helium as possible while simultaneously trying to manage budget constraints and find alternative sources. However, despite best efforts, many companies have experienced difficulty obtaining sufficient quantities of helium at reasonable prices. This limited access and escalating costs lead to significant financial losses for those involved in the production process.<\/p>\n As a result, businesses have sought other options, such as cryogenics or air cooling systems that do not require helium use but may not yield optimal performance results. Given current market conditions, companies must weigh up potential benefits versus risks when deciding whether or not to switch from traditional methods involving helium usage. Ultimately, decisions should be based on what works best for individual businesses to achieve desired outcomes without incurring excessive expenses.<\/p>\n As the ongoing helium shortage continues to cause a price increase of this essential element, medical device manufacturers are being forced to look for alternative solutions. While other elements can be used in many applications requiring pressurisation, they often come with drawbacks or cannot provide the same level of performance achieved when using helium. Therefore, understanding these alternatives and their respective advantages and disadvantages will help medical device companies make informed decisions about how best to manage the current scarcity.<\/p>\n One popular option for replacing helium is nitrogen gas; however, it does not offer the same thermal stability or flow rate as helium in most cases. Additionally, nitrogen is more expensive and requires specific handling procedures due to its toxicity levels at high pressure. In some instances where thermal stability is not required but precise control over pressure is needed\u2014such as cryogenic cooling systems\u2014nitrogen may be suitable for use instead of helium.<\/p>\n Another possible solution for medical device manufacturers dealing with the shortage of helium is argon gas; although it offers greater thermal stability than nitrogen, it does not have quite the same level of thermal efficiency as helium. Furthermore, while argon has a lower cost compared to nitrogen and higher safety ratings than both gases because it’s non-toxic even under high-pressure conditions, its application range remains limited, so there are certain areas where it simply won’t work effectively.<\/p>\n One proposed solution has been to use hydrogen instead of helium as an inert gas in MRI scanners. However, this substitution presents its own problems due to safety concerns surrounding flammability risks associated with using hydrogen. Additionally, hydrogen requires more energy than helium meaning higher costs are likely incurred by healthcare providers if they choose to go down this route – a price tag that may not always be feasible or desirable.<\/p>\nWhat is helium?<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n
What has caused the helium shortage<\/h3>\n
Effects on the medical devices industry<\/h3>\n
Price increase of helium<\/h3>\n
Alternatives to helium<\/h3>\n