The signing ceremony of the Russian-Japanese Memorandum of Understanding on the creation of Russia's first ion therapy centre was held at the ‘Healthy Life’ Area at the 5th Eastern Economic Forum, organized by The Roscongress Foundation.

The parties to the memorandum were the FSBI National Medical Research Centre for Radiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, International Medical Consulting Company and Medical Tourism Japan Co., Ltd/Ship Healthcare Group. The signing ceremony was attended by Oleg Salagai, Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, and Sato Tomoyuki, Director, Hokkaido Government Sakhalin Representative Office.

“The agreement is an important step towards the introduction and localization in our country of one of the most promising and modern cancer treatment technologies. The treatment method to which the signed memorandum pertains will undoubtedly be of great importance, especially for patients who have not responded positively to other types of modern treatment,” said Oleg Salagai, Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation.

According to Andrey Kaprin, Director General of the FSBI National Medical Research Centre of Radiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, thanks to the creation of the first ion therapy centre in Russia, patients in our country will be able to undergo treatment using all currently known types of radiation therapy in the world. “We have been preparing for this for a long time, and I am pleased that the signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in the ‘Healthy Life’ area, as a sign of strengthening Russian-Japanese relations,” said Andrey Kaprin.

The centre for the treatment of cancer with heavy carbon ions will be built at the National Medical Research Radiology Centre of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation in Obninsk. According to the signed memorandum, the Japanese partners and International Medical Consulting Company will undertake the construction work and transfer of technologies for the first centre in Russia.

The new medical institution is hugely significant – after it opens, 10–12 people per day will be able to receive treatment, with future plans including a thousand patients per year. Citizens from all over the country will be able to undergo treatment, for whom other types of therapy have proven ineffective.