7^th International
Conference on Isotopes

22 Jun 2011
Nuclear medicine is the most precise technology for diagnosing oncological diseases in their early stages. With the incidence of cancer growing in Russia, the partnership is an important step in improving the health of the country’s residents.

Rosatom and Philips plan to collaborate in several basic areas to produce equipment for precision diagnoses based on nuclear medicine—SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography); SPECT-CT (SPECT with computed tomography) and PET-CT (PET with computed tomography).

This will be the first time in Russia that the international producer transfers to its local partner the exclusive right to manufacture the SPECT-CT model, blocking its production in different manufacturing facilities globally. The equipment will be sold under a joint brand in Russia and countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Research work is another important aspect of the partnership. Rosatom and Philips will conduct clinical trials, develop a component base, and continually improve products they issue. Philips will transfer to its Russian partner proprietary engineering know-how for the production and servicing of goods manufactured locally. Finally, the partners plan to establish the first Russian producer and provider of a complex of PET solutions for domestic and international markets.

The goal of our partnership,” Rosatom General Director Sergey Kirienko explained, “is to establish a comprehensive nuclear medicine field in Russia. The partnership is of a large-scale nature and from year to year it is designed to gain momentum. In accordance with a program designated by the Government of the Russian Federation, we shall strive to achieve production of no less than 50% of the medical equipment within the bounds of the Russian Federation. During realization of that initiative, it will help to create stimuli and conditions for development of an entire industry of high-technology medical equipment that will attract various organizations and vendors. We expect that in the not-too-distant future residents will undergo diagnostic tests using Russian equipment that, at a minimum, is equal to the world’s best global analogues.”

In the context of modernizing the country’s economy, localization of production for nuclear medicine will lower Russia’s dependence on imports of medical equipment, which, according to various estimates, exceeds 81%. In offering to the system of health care solutions that are accessible and adapted to local needs, the partnership will contribute to modernizing medical infrastructure in Russian treatment facilities.

Currently Russia is able to meet no more than 5% of the demand for PET diagnostics from its residents. The country has only seven PET centers (compared with around 2,000 centers in the US), and all of those centers are located in Moscow and St. Petersburg. This modern method of radioisotope diagnostics should be available in all regions of the country, which means building no less that 140 PET centers according to calculations by health care planning experts.

“PET is the latest method of medical visualization, or radioisotope diagnostics. It is primary used in detecting cancers, which account for 80% to 90% of its use. The PET scanner enables the clinician to identify cancers at zero stage, when timorous tissue has still not changed its structure. Widespread use of PET scanners would enable the government to radically reduce expenditures for treatment of cancer patients. With cancers now ranked as the second leading cause of death in the country, the benefits of being able to provide these tests are very great. During the last 10 years, deaths attributable to cancer have risen to 13.8%, and today there are 2.7 million people with cancer,” said Steve Rusckowski, executive vice-president of Royal Philips Electronics and CEO of Philips Healthcare.

Within the framework of the collaboration, State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom will develop and manage the infrastructure, technological base, and production process for the medical equipment. Philips will transfer to Rosatom all necessary technological developments under licensing agreements. In addition, experts from Philips will train Russian engineers and specialists engaged in the production of the high-technology equipment.

IA REGNUM

Nuclear medicine is the most precise technology for diagnosing oncological diseases in their early stages. With the incidence of cancer growing in Russia, the partnership is an important step in improving the health of the country’s residents. Rosatom and Philips plan to collaborate in several basic areas to produce equipment for precision diagnoses based on nuclear medicine—SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography); SPECT-CT (SPECT with computed tomography) and PET-CT (PET with computed tomography). This will be the first time in Russia that the international producer transfers to its local partner the exclusive right to manufacture the SPECT-CT model, blocking its production in different manufacturing facilities globally. The equipment will be sold under a joint brand in Russia and countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Research work is another important aspect of the partnership. Rosatom and Philips will conduct clinical trials, develop a component base, and continually improve products they issue. Philips will transfer to its Russian partner proprietary engineering know-how for the production and servicing of goods manufactured locally. Finally, the partners plan to establish the first Russian producer and provider of a complex of PET solutions for domestic and international markets. The goal of our partnership,” Rosatom General Director Sergey Kirienko explained, “is to establish a comprehensive nuclear medicine field in Russia. The partnership is of a large-scale nature and from year to year it is designed to gain momentum. In accordance with a program designated by the Government of the Russian Federation, we shall strive to achieve production of no less than 50% of the medical equipment within the bounds of the Russian Federation. During realization of that initiative, it will help to create stimuli and conditions for development of an entire industry of high-technology medical equipment that will attract various organizations and vendors. We expect that in the not-too-distant future residents will undergo diagnostic tests using Russian equipment that, at a minimum, is equal to the world’s best global analogues.” In the context of modernizing the country’s economy, localization of production for nuclear medicine will lower Russia’s dependence on imports of medical equipment, which, according to various estimates, exceeds 81%. In offering to the system of health care solutions that are accessible and adapted to local needs, the partnership will contribute to modernizing medical infrastructure in Russian treatment facilities. Currently Russia is able to meet no more than 5% of the demand for PET diagnostics from its residents. The country has only seven PET centers (compared with around 2,000 centers in the US), and all of those centers are located in Moscow and St. Petersburg. This modern method of radioisotope diagnostics should be available in all regions of the country, which means building no less that 140 PET centers according to calculations by health care planning experts. “PET is the latest method of medical visualization, or radioisotope diagnostics. It is primary used in detecting cancers, which account for 80% to 90% of its use. The PET scanner enables the clinician to identify cancers at zero stage, when timorous tissue has still not changed its structure. Widespread use of PET scanners would enable the government to radically reduce expenditures for treatment of cancer patients. With cancers now ranked as the second leading cause of death in the country, the benefits of being able to provide these tests are very great. During the last 10 years, deaths attributable to cancer have risen to 13.8%, and today there are 2.7 million people with cancer,” said Steve Rusckowski, executive vice-president of Royal Philips Electronics and CEO of Philips Healthcare. Within the framework of the collaboration, State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom will develop and manage the infrastructure, technological base, and production process for the medical equipment. Philips will transfer to Rosatom all necessary technological developments under licensing agreements. In addition, experts from Philips will train Russian engineers and specialists engaged in the production of the high-technology equipment. IA REGNUM