WELCOME TO APSIG

The Asia-Pacific Special Interest Group (APSIG) is a special interest group from within the Australian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM), working to increase the patient-care capacity of radiation oncology services in under resourced countries in the Asia-Pacific region. It is comprised of senior medical physicists and health professionals committed to broadening the access to radiotherapy services to all communities across the Asia-Pacific.

APSIG organises volunteer medical physicist assignments to low-to-middle income countries in the Asia-Pacific region.  These assignments involve teaching, advice and assistance, new equipment installation guidance, and setting up of operational treatment planning systems for local Asia-Pacific radiotherapy centres to ensure services provided meet international auditory and safety guidelines.   APSIG also supports local radiotherapy staff through remote mentoring and support programs.

In addition APSIG,  through the Foundation, also facilitates visits of Asia-Pacific Medical Physicists to Australia and New Zealand for conferences, career development and hospital training.

To support the above work,  APSIG raises funds via the efforts of local ACPSEM fundraising committees across Australia, plus partners with industry partners and radiation oncology stakeholders to offer joint venture initiatives here and within the region.

APSIG’s operates as part of the Better Healthcare Technology Foundation, the registered charity of ACPSEM.  The Foundation’s overall aim is to increase the number of people who can benefit from advances in radiotherapy technology and treatment services.

APSIG's campaigns and activities are supported by ACPSEM,  and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through its Australian Volunteers International Development (AVID) program.  We collaborate closely with professional colleagues at ASMIRT (Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy) and APROSIG, the Asia-Pacific special interest group of the Royal A-NZ College of Radiologists. Our work supporting radiotherapy in the region is monitored and audited by IAEA and APRANSA. 

Low-to-middle income countries (LMIC) comprise around 85% of the world’s population, but currently hold less than 35% of the world’s radiotherapy facilities. This imbalance leaves thousands of current and future cancer sufferers in LMICs with very limited access to potentially life-saving cancer diagnosis and treatment.  The Foundation’s overall aim through the work of APSIG is to increase the number of people in local communities on our doorstep who can benefit from advances in radiotherapy technology and treatment services. *

(*Source:   R. Atun, D.A. Jaffray, M.B. Barton, et al. Expanding global access to radiotherapy  Lancet Oncol, 16 (2016), )

In our Asia-Pacific region especially there is an ongoing shortfall of radiotherapy equipment, as well as a critical lack of suitably-trained staff to operate radiotherapy units and design appropriate treatment planning systems. It is estimated that the region needs 1000 new treatment machines and 2000 additional medical physicists. APSIG is committed to supporting these medical physicists and other radiotherapy staff help ensure their treatment facilities meet current safety standards and are correctly calibrated. 

The lack of radiotherapy services has a major economic impact on families and societies in the region. Access to effective cancer treatment improves patient outcomes and well being and has a positive flow-on effect across the society

By combining on-ground support with follow up training and mentoring services, APSIG and the Foundation hopes to provide a sustainable platform for local communities to build capacity and meet the demand of their local populations in the years ahead.