Strengthening UK Health Security Through Domestic Medical Isotope Production
A few days ago, some NUVIA representatives gathered at the House of Lords in London to bring together voices from across academia, health, science and technology to discuss a critical national challenge: Securing a Domestic Production Capability for Medical Isotopes in the UK. The discussion highlighted the urgent need for collaboration between government, industry, and academia to ensure long-term resilience for the NHS and the 700,000 patients who rely on therapeutic radioisotopes each year.
NUVIA and Astral Systems, a British fusion technology company, presented a joint policy paper outlining three key recommendations to drive this strategy forward:
– Recognise medical isotope supply as a national strategic priority, integrated into NHS and government resilience planning.
– Establish a UK Medical Isotope Security Taskforce to coordinate cross-sector collaboration, investment, and delivery.
– Appoint a National Director for Medical Isotope Supply Security to lead implementation of a national strategy.
If implemented, this approach can safeguard NHS resilience, support scientific excellence, and position the UK as a global leader in nuclear medicine innovation.
We’re grateful to Simon Opher MP and James Naish MP for joining the conversation, alongside Talmon Firestone, CEO of Astral Systems, and David Price, our Director of New Build in the UK, who delivered a powerful address during the event. We were also proud to be represented by our NUVIA colleagues — Jonathan Parr, Ziad Benelkadhi, Mark Jenkinson, Victoria Robinson and Danielle Chiarello — whose presence and contributions helped shape a rich and forward-looking discussion.
