Belgian Nuclear Medicine (2023)
The paper "Belgian Nuclear Medicine" illustrates the importance of nuclear medicine in detecting, interpreting, and treating a vast portfolio of diseases. Imaging, treating and monitoring diseases such as cancer allows nuclear medicine to offer patients alternative treatments with less extreme consequences. The supply chain of nuclear medicine is invariably under pressure, so the production and supply of these medicines has been allocated to a few countries. Belgium is one of the main producers of medical isotopes and has the know-how in every link of the supply chain. This position as market leader is a unique opportunity for Belgian companies and initiatives to invest in the sector, on the one hand to ensure their position as a leader in the future and, on the other hand, to contribute to the global health sector. In an era when healthcare challenges are pervasive, Belgium stands as a beacon of progress, using science and technology to achieve breakthrough improvements for the benefit of patients, healthcare providers and society as a whole.
The first part of this paper provides a comprehensive picture of nuclear medicine and the challenges involved in the supply chain, such as nuclear waste and transportation. A second aspect of the paper analyzes how Belgium is addressing these challenges and how the Belgian sector will ensure they maintain their leading position in the future.