Toronto, June 10, 2024 – Last week, the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) celebrated the successful conclusion of the 2024 Canadian Radiotheranostics Leaders’ Summit, held on June 6-7 at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto. The event was delivered in collaboration with the University Health Network (UHN) and Canadian Medical Isotopes Ecosystem (CMIE), with a goal to bring together a diverse group of leaders from the isotope supply chain, healthcare, government & policy, and the academic community to discuss the latest advancements and future opportunities in radiotheranostics and nuclear medicine.
Attendees explored a combination of keynotes, panels, fireside chats, and speed round presentations that outlined the importance of equitable access to treatment, promising applications of radiotheranostics for patient care, and the challenges in nuclear isotope design, production, and delivery. The Summit also welcomed some of the top students from CNIC’s member institutions, who participated in a dedicated Student Summit to explore career opportunities in the field of medical isotopes and engage directly with speakers and presenters.
“The 2024 Canadian Radiotheranostics Leaders’ Summit demonstrated the importance of fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and setting a strategic direction for the future of radiotheranostics in Canada,” said Dr. Rebecca Wong, Chair of the Leaders’ Summit Planning Committee. “By bringing together a wide array of stakeholders, the Summit ensured a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities within the Canadian healthcare landscape,” added Dr. Patrick Veit-Haibach, Co-Chair of the Planning Committee.
The event also brought together prominent political leaders and champions in the space, specifically MP Pam Damoff at the federal level and Minister Natalia Kusendova-Bashta who gave her first remarks as Ontario’s Minister of Long-Term Care.
“Without a stable policy environment and the efforts of tremendous champions like MP Damoff and Minister Kusendova-Bashta, the growth and opportunity that the sector is experiencing wouldn’t be possible. A tremendous amount of effort across levels of government has helped to increase awareness about the importance of isotopes, their impact in transforming patients lives and the CNIC is grateful for the continued support from our political partners,” added James Scongack, Chair of the Board for the CNIC.
“To continue expanding Canadian leadership in the production of radiopharmaceuticals and isotopes, we need to work across disciplines to facilitate collaboration and encourage communication between industry, academia, healthcare, and beyond,” said Kathryn Hayashi, Co-Lead of CMIE. “CMIE is proud to collaborate on events like the Leaders’ Summit that bring these different communities together, all working together to advance the next generation of radiopharmaceuticals in Canadian hospitals.”
The event could not have been made possible without the valuable sponsors to support our vision and facilitate productive partnerships. Thank you to all speakers and moderators for travelling to share valuable insights, and attendees for pushing ideas through thought-provoking questions. The CNIC, UHN, and CMIE look forward to furthering these important conversations in future events to continue to expand isotope production, facilitate supply chain innovation, and advance access to life-saving radiotheranostics and modern medicine.
The CNIC looks forward to continuing to grow the even next year by establishing the Leaders’ Summit as an annual feature in early June.
Click here to view the highlights of the Leaders’ Summit.
About the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council
The Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) is an independent, not-for-profit advocacy and member services organization. The CNIC supports over 85 members from across science, academia, healthcare, and nuclear-sector organizations dedicated to maintaining Canada’s position as a global leader in the production of life-saving isotopes. The CNIC raises awareness and advocates for long-term policies that support health-care innovation and will save countless lives for decades to come.
To learn more about the CNIC, visit www.CanadianIsotopes.ca and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
For more information, please contact:
Melody Greaves
Manager, Strategic Relations
Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council
melody.greaves@canadianisotopes.ca