In the context of promoting research and development into nuclear medicine, FAST convened the field by organizing this event on Friday, June 28th 2024. The aim of the meeting was to inform involved parties, expedite collaboration, exchange results, and strengthen the ecosystem. To engage all relevant stakeholders, FAST organized the meeting in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Health, the initiators of DECISIVE and the initiators of FORESIGHT.

The event offered an in-depth exploration of the most recent developments in the Dutch nuclear medicine ecosystem. Approximately 100 experts attended the event, representing a diverse mix from the field: academia, the private sector, and a combination of regulators, and policymakers. The day commenced with a plenary session, moderated by Mark Wijsman. After a short welcoming address, Johan Klunder, Bastiaan Privé and Famke Brouwer exemplified how the use of medical isotopes impact clinical care, drug development and their daily lives during the fire side chat.

Chiel Scholten then shared compelling insights into the Dutch innovation ecosystem and Technopolis its recommendations for this ecosystem to become the European hotspot for nuclear medicine. The plenary session continued with a presentation of the Special Envoy Medical Isotopes of the Ministry of Health, Wim Oyen, about his assignment and the roadmap he is preparing together with the stakeholders of the ecosystem.

Bart Cornelissen, co-initiator of DECISIVE, provided an overview of this initiative and how the consortium envisions to create an unprecedented nuclear medicine ecosystem to establish the Netherlands as the world leader in the field of nuclear medicine diagnostics and therapeutics. Guus van Dongen, co-initiator of FORESIGHT, explained that high-precision molecular imaging is a powerful enabling technology for efficient drug development and better treatment decisions and how the FORESIGHT consortium envisions to seize the opportunities the technology presents.

Subsequently, participants engaged in matchmaking sessions focused on three specific themes: i) enabling technology in drug development, ii) diagnostics use (and patient stratification), and iii) therapy. Moderators facilitated these sessions with the aim of connecting participants with similar interests and stimulating potential collaborations. The day proceeded with four breakout sessions. These sessions were categorized into the following themes:
i) Nuclear Medicine – What’s in it for you?,
ii) Human capital – How to keep up with demand of specialized personnel,
iii) Improve innovation and valorization – What should a center for innovation and valorization do? and
iv) Implementation in the clinic – All you need to know about registration, reimbursement and access.

Each session was expertly led by experienced moderators (Mark Wijsman, Mark Rijpkema, Alexander Turkin and Marlous Kooijman), contributing to in-depth discussions on the topic and providing an opportunity to connect with experts.

The day concluded with a plenary session during which the take-home messages from the break-out sessions were shared. Reflections on the day, the urgency of the topic, and key takeaways were discussed. Additionally, the future of nuclear medicine and the role FAST can play were considered. With a shared commitment to follow-up on the recommendations to strengthen the innovation ecosystem of nuclear medicine and become the European hotspot for Nuclear Medicine, participants were encouraged to actively contribute. We are grateful for your dedication. Only together, we can make a profound impact on the future of nuclear medicine.