Revelations world-leading proton therapy cancer treatment at SAHMRI 2 at risk are ‘demoralising’ for SA

Revelations a world-leading cancer-fighting facility set for Adelaide is at serious threat of collapse is “demoralising” for doctors, patients and families, medical experts say.

• The doomed Adelaide projects that never happened

Revelations a world-leading cancer-­fighting facility set for Adelaide is at serious threat of collapse is “demoralising” for doctors, patients and families, medical experts say.

The $500m Australian Bragg Centre, formerly SAHMRI 2, was due to host the country’s first proton beam therapy unit in a concrete “bunker” already built to house the machine.

However, The Advertiser revealed on Wednesday that the delivery of the southern hemisphere’s first unit of its type was at “significant risk” of failure.

The proposed Australian Bragg Centre proton therapy unit spearheaded by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. Picture: supplied by SAHMRI.

An Advertiser investigation revealed the American firm hired to deliver the cutting-edge technology – ProTom International – had asked for “more time” and a bailout.

The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), acting on state Treasury advice, has refused to pay more money to ProTom, which was paid almost $68m in taxpayer funds for its pioneering equipment.

Proton therapy offers a non-invasive approach to destroy cancer cells with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue and vital organs.

Obstetrician John Svigos says news Adelaide’s proton therapy treatment may fail to materialise are demoralising. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

Adelaide obstetrician John Svigos told ABC radio the news of further delays in the delivery of the lifesaving machine was “demoralising” for doctors, patients and families.

“It’s very important for treating pediatric patients with cancer, it was estimated 700 people a year would utilise the machine,” he said.

“(The machine) was going to be ready in 2023, then put off to 2025 and now we are not sure at all,” he said.

He said the hospital had made preparations for the machine with patients anticipating access to treatments and agreed lives were at stake.

The proposed Australian Bragg Centre proton therapy unit spearheaded by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. Picture: supplied by SAHMRI.

“The parents and the children involved are on a high emotional plateau, this sort of news is very demoralising for everybody,” he said.

He was firm in his view Adelaide needed the machine which already had the purpose-built facility to house it.

“It’s 74 metres high the machine, that’s a huge thing – it’s going to take up five to seven floors of the building and it’s not an insignificant thing you can just let go. We need one,” he said.

PTI operates the technology only at one other location worldwide – Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

A South Australian woman, Carol, from Port Noarlunga, told ABC radio she had travelled to the United States to use the machine.

“I was sent over to Boston Massachusetts to have the therapy which was life saving, to a point – they said it would give me an extra five years and I’ve got 11 years out of it,” she said.

“We’ve got to have this (machine), we’ve got to have it here.”

Health Minister Chris Picton told ABC radio said the government was working towards a plan B, however the purpose-built facility could limit enlisting another supplier.

“There’s been a specific bunker built for this particular machine … there are many other providers who have machines around the world, we need to see if it’s possible for another provider (to deliver the project),” he said.

The Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research Centre is funded through a public/private partnership including SAHMRI, Commercial & General construction firm, the Commonwealth and state governments as well as Dexus property fund.

A $68m Commonwealth “grant” was awarded in 2017 to buy the Radiance 330 equipment, while the former Liberal state government authorised a series of complex leasing guarantees in 2020 at the height of the pandemic.