The Amersham connection

BILL CASTELL, 46, is chief executive of healthcare group Amersham International. He has worked for more than 20 years in the healthcare industry, and before joining Amersham was group commercial director of Wellcome.

Amersham has extensive contacts with the former Soviet Union. It is a founder member of the British Healthcare Consortium, a private sector initiative by some of the UK's biggest drug groups. BHC is involved in transferring Western healthcare technology and standards to the former Soviet Union.

Amersham has also established a joint venture with the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry for the production of isotopes with medical applications, part of the former Soviet Union's programme of converting military facilities to peaceful use. It has also linked up with the Institute of Cardiology in Moscow.

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