The Austrian government has given conditional approval for building a proton and carbon ion radiation research and treatment center in the small city of Wiener Neustadt, about 50 kilometers south of Vienna.

Erich Griesmayer, technical manager of the project, described Monday's (October 13) conditional approval by the Austrian Structure Commission as a "major victory" in the history of the cancer research and treatment project, which was first proposed in 1994 and has been dubbed MedAustron.

Griesmayer told The Scientist: "We now have the green light from the Austrian government, and this is very important."

The Austrian Structure Commission on Monday approved construction of MedAustron in Wiener Neustadt on condition that sound financing is secured and that the nation's sanitary council approves.

Griesmayer said he sees no barriers to sanitary council approval and believes the €117 million needed to build and equip the massive center can be secured sometime...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!