A cancer treatment facility involving protons, a radiotherapy method thought to be novel, more accurate, and less harmful than traditional radiotherapy, will be established at the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (IPO) in Porto. The Amancio Ortega Foundation (FAO) donated 80 million euros to the Porto IPO to finance the establishment of the first national proton therapy centre to acquire equipment.

Besides being a radiotherapy procedure with fewer side effects than conventional radiotherapy, proton therapy is also known to be even more efficient for patients with lengthy survival rates, especially those in the paediatric population. Currently nonexistent in Portugal, the FAO has committed to purchasing two proton accelerators for Porto’s IPO.

According to the information made public, the IPO emphasises how FAO has significantly contributed to the revitalisation of the technological park and made other major investments across a range of societal sectors, including the Public Health Service. As stated in the note given to Lusa by the IPO, the infrastructure of the upcoming National Proton Therapy Centre (CNP), which is anticipated to be finished in three to four years, will be funded "almost entirely by community funds from the North 2030 Regional Program”.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro attended the signing ceremony of the commitment agreement between the FAO, the IPO in Porto, and the Portuguese government when the announcement was made.