High-level experts from around the world will meet at the IAEA Scientific Forum this week to discuss the importance of nuclear science and technology in combating cancer and how the IAEA helps countries tackle a disease that kills millions of people every year.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide and in 2018 alone accounted for 9.6 million deaths. The IAEA has been supporting its Member States in the use of nuclear science and technology to better diagnose, treat and manage cancer. As the disease incidence grows, it is increasingly important for countries, particularly in the developing world, to have the necessary tools and expertise to meet this challenge.
The two-day event, A Decade of Action on Cancer Control and the Way Forward, is open to the media and will be streamed live from the opening at 09:30 CEST on 17 September 2019.
The Forum, taking place on the sidelines of the IAEA General Conference, #IAEAGC, will take place in Board Room D of the C-Building of the Vienna International Centre (VIC).
Details of the Scientific Forum can be found on the IAEA website and social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). Photos of the Forum will also be available on Flickr.
IAEA Acting Director General Cornel Feruta will open the Forum along with keynote speakers:
- Princess Chulabhorn, President, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Thailand
- Sika Kaboré, First Lady of Burkina Faso
- Lalla Malika Mahamadou, First Lady of Niger
- Elizabeth Zulema Tomás Gonzáles, Minister of Health, Peru
- Sergey Kraevoy, Deputy Minister of Health, Russian Federation
- Douglas Lowy, Acting Director, National Cancer Institute, United States of America
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization (WHO), video message
- Bandar M. H. Hajjar, President, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group
Discussions at the Forum will centre around four sessions:
Session 1: Ten Years of Cancer Control— The Experience of Member States will give the floor to speakers from IAEA Member States to share experiences in establishing infrastructure for nuclear and radiation medicine as part of their cancer care efforts, from the development of legislation and a regulatory framework for nuclear safety and security to the acquisition of technology and equipment.
Session 2: The IAEA Response to the Evolving Needs of Member States will focus on addressing the changing needs of countries, including in areas related to education, training and quality management, among others.
Session 3: Overview of Technology Advances in Nuclear and Radiation Medicine will provide an overview of the existing and future uses of radiation in medicine, including medical imaging, radiotherapy, radiopharmaceuticals and theranostics.
Session 4: Supporting Cancer Control Programmes Through Partnerships will explore avenues to help IAEA Member States in their cancer control efforts through strategic partnerships with global institutions.
The Forum will conclude with a wrap-up session including remarks by IAEA Acting Director General Cornel Feruta as well as:
- Najat Mokhtar, Deputy Director General, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications
- Juan Carlos Lentijo, Deputy Director General, Department of Nuclear Safety and Security
- Dazhu Yang, Deputy Director General, Department of Technical Cooperation
The detailed programme and full list of speakers can be found here. Some of the speakers are available for interviews. Please contact the IAEA Press Office for more details.
Accreditation
Journalists with permanent credentials to the VIC need no additional credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna.
Others should contact Michelle Gruensteidl for accreditation. Please email m.gruensteidl@iaea.org or call [+43-1] 2600-22048 or [+43-1] 2600-21273.