The Hon Ian Macfarlane MP has overseen progress of the $168 million ANM project at ANSTO which will benefit the Australian health industry and position Australia as a global leader in the high-end manufacturing of nuclear medicine.
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Through this project, Australia will be able to triple production of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), which is the base material for nuclear medicines currently used in hospitals and medical centres throughout Australia to aid in the diagnosis of cancers, heart disease, muscular and skeletal conditions.
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| The Hon. Ian Macfarlane with guests from hospitals and clinics that use nuclear medicine. |
ANSTO currently delivers the equivalent of 10,000 patient doses of Mo-99 across Australia each week and it is estimated that Mo-99 is used in around 45 million medical procedures worldwide every year and demand is growing particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
ANSTO CEO, Dr Adi Paterson, welcomed Minister Macfarlane back to ANSTO and reiterated the Australian leadership being demonstrated through ANSTO expanding its important medical role, and helping to meet world demand for vital nuclear medicine supplies.
“By investing in this new facility, the Australian Government has positioned Australia as a global leader in the manufacture of nuclear medicines,” said Mr Macfarlane.
The ANM Project includes a nuclear medicine manufacturing plant and a waste treatment plant to treat by-products for permanent, safe storage at a national waste repository. The project is worth $168.8 million and subject to required approvals the plant will be operational from 2016.