Mr. Krzysztof Łanda, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health, accompanied by some representatives of Health Technology Assessment Agency, paid a visit to Świerk. The guests were presented with NCBJ capacities and achievements in the field of nuclear medicine-related applications.

Professor Krzysztof Kurek, NCBJ Director General, has presented the mission, the importance for national healthcare & economy, and the most significant scientific achievements of the Institute. He also pointed out NCBJ’s contribution to pure research awarded in the two last years with Nobel Prizes in physics, as well as NCBJ’s participation in some global projects to develop large research facilities. However, the two main topics discussed during the visit were: the ways the MARIA research nuclear reactor might be utilized in the national healthcare system, and the soon commercialization of the modern intra-operative radiotherapeutical accelerator developed in NCBJ.

During his visit to NCBJ’s Radioisotope Centre (OR POLATOM) Mr. Łanda could familiarize himself with selected aspects of the Centre production/implementation activities, financial results, and exports growth dynamics in the last decade. Possible ways to support some NCBJ/POLATOM projects were discussed. Potential benefits to national science/healthcare system/economy that might be brought about by accomplishment in Swierk of the CERAD project and development of a radiochemical reprocessing lab were outlined. The former project (CERAD = Centre for Molecularly Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals) is highly evaluated on the Polish Roadmap of Research Infrastructure. The latter lab would make it possible to separate in-house molibdenum-99 from other fission products present in uranium targets irradiated by the MARIA reactor. Currently the separation step must be outsourced, which factor limits volume and costs of production of the Tc-99m generators used by nuclear medicine clinics.

Mr. Łanda is supervising Ministry of Health Department of Analyses and Strategy. That team of analysts is currently working out a map of nation’s health needs. “I’m sure that introduction of NCBJ-developed products to world markets will be well-received by consumers who generally welcome competitiveness on the healthcare product markets” – said the Minister. He declared that Ministry of Health would be supporting NCBJ’s efforts to implement the presented projects.

Mr. Wojciech Wysoczański, Department Director in Health Technology Assessment Agency was specifically interested in some unique preparations developed in OR POLATOM to diagnose and treat neuroendocrine tumours. The preparations have been presented by Professor Renata Mikołajczak.

After the talks the guests visited some OR POLATOM’s research and production labs.