Philips and Russian nuclear agency to produce early cancer detection equipment

Nuclear medicine is an important medical imaging technique used to diagnose cancer at an early stage. The early diagnosis of cancer has gained importance as cancer has become the second highest cause of mortality in Russia.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, ROSATOM and Philips will manufacture three important imaging modalities in nuclear medicine in Russia. SPECT (Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography), SPECT/CT (SPECT combined with X-ray Computed Tomography) and PET/CT (Positron Emission Tomography combined with CT).

The collaboration will reduce Russia’s dependence on other countries for such equipment. This is the first time that an international manufacturer of nuclear medicine equipment has decided to grant its Russian local partner a license for the production of SPECT/CT equipment.

The collaboration will extend to R&D (including clinical trials) also, including the development of a local component manufacturing base and the future up gradation of joint products. Philips has declared its intention to license the engineering know-how for the production and maintenance of medical devices to ROSATOM. The experts of the company will provide in-depth training to Russian engineers employed at R&D and production sites. The infrastructure, production facilities and oversight of the production process will be taken care of by ROSATOM.

ROSATOM has under its charge, more than 250 enterprises and scientific institutions, including all civil nuclear companies of Russia, nuclear weapons complex’s facilities, research organizations and also the world’s only nuclear-propelled fleet.

Steve Rusckowski, CEO of Philips Healthcare, said, “We are convinced that partnerships between local and global companies are key enablers of improving local healthcare systems, offering more and better care to people.”

Royal Philips Electronics with its headquarters in Netherlands is present in more than 100 countries and employees 117,000 people worldwide.

The local production of nuclear medicine equipment will reduce Russia’s dependency on the import of healthcare solutions and devices. Presently, nearly 81 percent of all Russia’s medical equipment is produced outside the country.