The European Commission has set out a strategy to secure the European Union’s long-term supply of medical radioisotopes, materials used to diagnose disease and treat cancer, through a plan called the European Radioisotope Valley Initiative.
Medical radioisotopes are used in hospitals for imaging tests and some cancer treatments, and demand is expected to rise sharply in the coming years, the Commission informed on Thursday.
The approach includes reducing reliance on suppliers outside the EU, including Russia, and strengthening the resilience of the supply chain.
The strategy follows the REPowerEU roadmap published in May 2025.
Focus on industry support and coordination
The Commission said it will work with EU member states, industry, researchers, healthcare providers and other stakeholders to implement the initiative.
Measures outlined include support for research and innovation, steps to boost market uptake, and efforts to align regulation across the EU.
The plan also includes supporting investment in production facilities and strengthening international partnerships.
The strategy also links the radioisotopes initiative to EU decarbonisation goals through the reuse and recycling of legacy materials and by creating synergies with net-zero technologies.
