New Radioactive Drug Production Rooms Inaugurated at Hadassah Ein Kerem Campus
The most advanced rooms in Israel for developing and producing radiopharmaceuticals were inaugurated at the Hadassah Ein Karem campus, after an investment of 13 million shekels. In a ceremony attended by Hadassah’s CEO, Prof. Zeev Rotstein, the chairman of S.R.Y., Avi Balashnikov, leading figures from the Israeli healthcare system, and representatives of the Israeli Association of Nuclear Medicine, the new production rooms of S.R.Y. (Medical Services) at the Hadassah Ein Karem campus were officially opened.
S.R.Y. is a subsidiary of Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital, specializing in the development and production of radiopharmaceuticals. It is the only company in Israel that owns clean rooms and cyclotron facilities (particle accelerators) that include eight automatic modules for synthesizing various types of isotopes (cyclotron products). Building the advanced production rooms took about four years and included clean rooms and modern systems for fully automated manufacturing of radiopharmaceuticals. The facilities meet the strictest standards of the Ministry of Health, as well as those of European authorities and the American FDA, ensuring the highest level of patient safety.
S.R.Y.’s products are supplied for PET scans to Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital and to a number of hospitals across Israel, including Assuta, Beilinson, Sheba, Ichilov, and Shaare Zedek.
The cyclotron facilities are located about four floors below ground, in rooms with concrete walls that are 2.5 meters thick, which is essential for environmental safety. It should be noted that S.R.Y. is the only company in Israel with two cyclotron facilities operating at the same time, providing backup in case one of the facilities is out for maintenance.
Prof. Eyal Mishani, CEO of S.R.Y. and a pioneer in the cyclotron field in Israel who also serves as a senior advisor to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that the new facility includes the most advanced production rooms, built to the highest quality currently available in Israel. They meet the strict world standards of both European and American (FDA) regulations, which is the highest level for patient safety.
Prof. Zeev Rotstein praised Prof. Mishani’s work, noting that patient safety is one of the central and important issues to focus on today in modern medicine. He added that the new production facility will make this possible in practice for thousands of patients each year at Hadassah and in other hospitals that need radiopharmaceuticals.
Avi Balashnikov, chairman of S.R.Y. and former chairman of Hadassah hospitals, said that he welcomes the recent decision by the Ministry of Health to advance strict regulations in the field of radiopharmaceuticals in Israel. He expects that for this issue, which is critical to patient health, there will be uncompromising enforcement against those who operate without oversight and who do not follow strict safety conditions.
Dr. Zvi Bar Sever, chairman of the Israeli Association of Nuclear Medicine, said at the ceremony that S.R.Y.’s new production rooms are of the highest standard and serve as an example of quality in work procedures, quality improvement, and quality control.
Original publication: https://www.kolhair.co.il/health/14061/
