The recent allocation of $5 million AUD to develop Lutetium 177 at the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO) facilities at Lucas Heights (NSW) has been a collaboration between Dr Adi Paterson (CEO ANSTO), Jane Langford (ANSTO), Dr John Leyden (UF) and expert Australian Nuclear Medicine Physicians – Prof Turner, Prof Hicks et al.
Hopefully this will lead to medical grade Lutetium being produced locally which may be available for use in Australian Hospitals as early as 2014.
I would encourage every NET patient to email Dr Paterson (www.ansto.gov.au) and Senator Chris Evans (minister.evans@innovation.gov.au) and thank them for showing such vision and commitment in fostering this technology.
Unfortunately this money DOES NOT guarantee Australian NET patients access to "lutate" for treatment – this is reliant on funding from Federal and State Health budgets – of which there is none. This is a battle which we are still fighting and will need your help with soon. Watch this space, but in the meantime please put pen to paper.
