IAEA Getting Medical Linear Accelerator
"The new partnership will further enhance our capabilities to support Member States in the safe and effective use of linacs through the provision of dosimetry services and training of health care professionals working in radiotherapy," explained May Abdel-Wahab, director of human health at IAEA.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is getting a new linear accelerator from Varian Medical Systems next year that will significantly enhance the help it can provide to hospitals around the world on the safe and effective use of radiotherapy. The equipment will be provided under a partnership agreement signed Sept. 19 at the IAEA General Conference, according to an article written by Miklos Gaspar of the IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication.
It says IAEA has received an increasing number of requests to provide standards and guidance on the safe and effective use of these devices, which use electricity rather than a radioactive source to generate electron beams or high energy x-rays for the targeted destruction of cancer cells.
"The new partnership will further enhance our capabilities to support Member States in the safe and effective use of linacs through the provision of dosimetry services and training of health care professionals working in radiotherapy," explained May Abdel-Wahab, director of human health at IAEA.
Varian's vice president for global market access, Michael Sandhu, said the company "believes that access to high quality care is a key component in addressing the global cancer challenge. We applaud the IAEA for creating a facility for training professionals from around the world on how to deliver safe and effective radiotherapy treatments for cancer, and we are pleased to be providing a Varian medical linear accelerator to assist the IAEA in its efforts."
"While the use of linacs in developing countries has been steadily increasing over the years, personnel involved in treating patients often need to be supported to get the training and experience to safely use this technology," Abdel-Wahab said.