WALES can be a "global player" in the race to harness the potential of precision medicine, offering the right test and treatment at the right time, says health minister Vaughan Gething.

Mr Gething will this afternoon officially open the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales, based at Newport's Celtic Springs Business Park, which itself offers a type of precision medicine - proton beam therapy for treating cancers - that is giving hope to patients for whom treatment was previously unavailable or only available overseas.

Mr Gething will unveil new strategies to transform precision medicine - diagnostics and treatments - and also pathology in Wales.

“To address future challenges from the increasing burden of disease we must focus more on prevention, early detection and personalised, targeted treatments," he said.

"Precision medicine will increasingly support a more personalised approach to health and care.

"In Wales, we are already making progress in the field of precision medicine, and I am confident that we can be a global player in the race to harness its potential.

"NHS Wales is on the cusp of realising the significant benefits that can be delivered by advances in precision medicine for patients by offering the right test or treatment at the right time.

South Wales Argus:

Health minister Vaughan Gething

"Our long term plan 'A Healthier Wales' recognises the importance of moving towards earlier detection and intervention to prevent illness and prolong independence.

"The Rutherford Cancer Centre, which was the first facility in the UK to offer proton beam therapy for cancer patients, is an excellent example of the development of new cancer therapies, here in Wales.

"It’s a perfect illustration of how we are working collaboratively to deliver technological innovations to improve treatment."

The centre, which opened last spring, is part of a network being created in the UK by Proton Partners International, and was the first in that network to offer proton beam therapy.

The treatment - for otherwise difficult to treat cancers - was available to patients in the UK only on a very limited scale before this initiative.

It has been used at the Newport centre to treat a variety of cancers including breast, head and neck, prostate, and hip.

It is also approved to take referrals of adult patients from the NHS, the first of whom has benefited from the centre's expertise and technology, and has recently completed their treatment.

Mr Gething is today publishing the Welsh Government's Statement of Intent for Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products, which sets out how it aims to deliver precision therapeutics, like new cell therapies, in Wales.

He has also published a Statement of Intent to transform pathology services.

"All this builds on our recent investment in diagnostic services such as the new Imaging Academy for Wales," he said.

"In this financial year, I am pleased to provide additional funding of £2.3 million to support the delivery of new genetic tests together with a further £2m to support national plans for transforming diagnostic, health science and advanced therapeutic medicinal product services in NHS Wales.”