Government advances inherited pledge: Stepping up on nuclear medicine commitment from predecessors

MedTech & Diagnostics News: The Federal Government has unveiled a substantial investment plan to empower the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in manufacturing nuclear medicine. This initiative seeks to provide critical treatment options to thousands of patients grappling with diseases such as cancer and ensure timely and accurate diagnoses.

As a commitment of $30 million promised by the former government back in 2021, this investment will establish a cutting-edge nuclear medicine manufacturing facility at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights campus, located south of Sydney.

Hon Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science, emphasised the pivotal role of nuclear medicines in safeguarding the health of Australians.

“On average, every Australian will need at least two nuclear medicine procedures during their lifetime. The new state-of-the-art nuclear medicine manufacturing facility will ensure ANSTO can increase manufacturing and introduce cutting edge new medicines for decades to come,” Minister Husic said.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans and bone density scans stand as the two most prevalent imaging modalities in nuclear medicine. Presently, ANSTO produces approximately 12,000 patient doses of nuclear medicine per week, distributed to approximately 250 hospitals and medical centres across Australia and its neighbouring regions. Impressively, about 75-80% of nuclear medicine isotopes used in Australia are sourced from ANSTO.

Acting CEO for ANSTO, Professor Andrew Peele, welcomed the funding infusion, asserting its significance in fortifying Australia’s sovereign capabilities in domestic nuclear medicine manufacturing.

“This new purpose-built facility will ensure ANSTO has the flexibility to adapt to evolving manufacturing technologies and meet the changing needs of the radiopharmaceuticals market, particularly as cancer and other illness diagnosis rates continue to grow,” Professor Peel commented.

“It will ensure ANSTO can meet the increasing demand for nuclear medicines by hospitals and medical clinics while also leveraging ANSTO’s radiopharmaceutical research and development and medical industry collaborations.”

The existing facility, originally a research laboratory dating back to the late 1950s, has undergone extensive renovations and modifications to serve as a nuclear medicine manufacturing facility. However, it is approaching the end of its operational life.

The design and implementation of the new facility will be subjected to an independent review commissioned by the department. Additionally, the project will undergo a tender process and is anticipated to be completed in the early to mid-2030s, nine years after the first announcement of the investment.

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