European Commission approval for Dutch investment in radiopharmaceuticals

Last week, the European Commission approved a €2 billion plan by the Dutch government, known as the PALLAS project, to build a high-performance research reactor in Petten, the Netherlands. “The replacement of the high flux Petten reactor in the Netherlands by the construction of the PALLAS reactor is critical to address the current shortage, and increase the production, processing, distribution and access of these life-saving radiopharmaceutical across the world”, says Jean-Luc C Urbain (Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Reston, VA, USA). The new centre, expected to start operations in the 2030s, is set to benefit patients with cancer across Europe, as well as possibly target other medical conditions.