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IAEA Joins Forces with Dosimetry Companies to Advance Radiation Medicine under Rays of Hope

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On September 18 2024, the IAEA signed strategic partnership agreements with IBA Dosimetry, PTW-Freiburg Physikalisch-Technische Werkstätten Dr. Pychlau GmbH to enhance dosimetry and quality assurance efforts under Rays of Hope.

On September 18 2024, the IAEA signed strategic partnership agreements with IBA Dosimetry, PTW-Freiburg Physikalisch-Technische Werkstätten Dr. Pychlau GmbH to enhance dosimetry and quality assurance efforts under Rays of Hope. (Photo: D. Calma/IAEA)

The IAEA has entered into strategic partnership agreements with three companies in the field of dosimetry and quality assurance as part of its efforts to enhance access to safe and effective radiation medicine for cancer care in low- and- middle income countries (LMICs). Signed under the umbrella of the IAEA’s Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All  initiative, the agreements with IBA Dosimetry, PTW-Freiburg Physikalisch-Technische Werkstätten Dr. Pychlau GmbH (PTW-Freiburg) and Standard Imaging will enhance access to calibration and dosimetry services and will strengthen training in quality assurance and dosimetry for LMICs.

“The partnerships with IBA Dosimetry, PTW-Freiburg and Standard Imaging present a promising opportunity to significantly enhance the quality and precision of radiation therapy treatments in LMICs that seek support through the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative, and will advance the objectives of the initiative,” said Hua Liu, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Technical Cooperation. “We are keen to start working with these companies to address the needs of the Member States that seek support under the initiative,” he added.

Accurate dosimetry, which measures exposure to ionizing radiation, is essential for the safe and effective use of nuclear technology, especially in the medical field. Contributions from the three partnerships include dosimetry and quality assurance tools, alongside substantial support through cost-free or significantly subsidized vendor-agnostic training. These will enhance the training and research capabilities of Rays of Hope Anchor Centres, benefitting hospitals and patients around the world.

During the IAEA's 68th General Conference in September 2024, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi signed a strategic partnership agreement with Eric DeWerd, President of Standard Imaging under Rays of Hope.

Eric DeWerd, President of Standard Imaging, with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, signing the strategic partnership agreement linking efforts under Rays of Hope. (Photo: E. Swabey/IAEA)

“It is a true honour for Standard Imaging to partner with the IAEA and Rays of Hope to address the crucial disparities in life-saving cancer treatments worldwide,” said Eric DeWerd, MBA, President of Standard Imaging.

These partnerships will not only expand countries’ capacities for accurate measurements and consistency in radiation dosimetry but also play a role in further developing the competencies of medical physicists and radiation metrology professionals in the field, providing them with more accurate diagnostic and enhanced therapeutic practices.

During the IAEA's 68th General Conference in September 2024, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi signed a strategic partnership agreement with Tobias Schüle, Managing Director of PTW-Freiburg under Rays of Hope.

Tobias Schüle, Managing Director of PTW-Freiburg, with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Najat Mokhtar, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, and Hua Liu, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Technical Cooperation during the signature of the strategic partnership agreement linking efforts under Rays of Hope. (Photo: E. Swabey/IAEA)

“We are excited to join the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative. At PTW, our commitment to quality and knowledge sharing in radiation therapy – values that have been embraced by the PTW Dosimetry School for a decade – uniquely positions us to support the IAEA in the global fight against cancer,” said Tobias Schüle, Managing Director of PTW-Freiburg.

IBA Dosimetry, PTW-Freiburg, and Standard Imaging are all active in the fields of dosimetry and medical physics but with a distinct focus and product range.

During the IAEA's 68th General Conference in September 2024, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi signed a strategic partnership agreement with Jörg Leske, Manager RTV at IBA Dosimetry GmbH under Rays of Hope.

Jörg Leske, Manager RTV at IBA Dosimetry GmbH, with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Najat Mokhtar, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications and Hua Liu, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Technical Cooperation following the signature of the strategic partnership agreement linking efforts under Rays of Hope. (Photo: D. Calma/IAEA)

“With Rays of Hope, the IAEA has launched a global initiative that brings help and hope where they are most urgently needed. By signing the Practical Agreement, we stand together to strengthen the tireless fight against cancer and celebrate the power of international collaboration,” said Jörg Leske, Manager RTV at IBA Dosimetry GmbH.

For decades, the IAEA has enhanced dosimetry and quality assurance in calibration laboratories and hospitals across the globe. In developing guidance and training materials, coordinating research activities, organizing scientific events, raising awareness about the importance of dosimetry and medical physics and implementing concrete actions to that end, it has established best practices and actively contributed to more effective diagnostic and treatment approaches.

“To further assure effective cancer care and diagnosis, countries around the world need well-trained medical physicists. Through Rays of Hope, the IAEA is addressing this need, including through the Anchor Centres within each region,” noted Najat Mokhtar, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications. “Thanks to the partnership with IBA Dosimetry, PTW-Freiburg and Standard Imaging, Rays of Hope Anchor Centres will be better equipped to effectively train medical physicists. This agreement will also enhance our support for Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratories and hospitals in low and middle income countries,” she added.

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