[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 136 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1759-E1760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL IMAGING ESTABLISHMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RICHARD BURR

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 26, 1996

  Mr. BURR. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the National Institute 
of Biomedical Imaging Establishment Act of behalf of myself and my 
colleagues Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Flake, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Borski, Mr. 
Coble, Mr. Heineman, Mr. Payne of Virginia, Mr. Taylor of North 
Carolina, Mr. Chapman, and Mr. Smith of Texas.
  As millions of Americans know from personal experience, new 
developments in medical imaging have revolutionized patient care in the 
past quarter century. The field is no longer limited to x-rays. 
Sophisticated new technologies such as computed tomography [CT], 
magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], positron emission tomography [PET], 
and ultrasound allow physicians to diagnose and treat disease in ways 
that would have seemed impossible just a generation ago.
  Mammography, for example, has improved the odds enormously for 
patients through early detection. And now, image-based biopsy methods 
have made it possible to diagnose many suspicious lumps in women 
without resorting to expensive and painful surgery.
  For children, imaging has meant a dramatic reduction in the need for 
surgery. In the past, for example, a child brought into a hospital 
after an automobile accident would often undergo exploratory surgery if 
internal injuries were suspected. Today, a CT scan immediately after 
admission to the emergency room often eliminates the need for surgery 
at all. This not only avoids an expensive and potentially dangerous 
procedure; it also eliminates unnecessary pain and lengthy recovery 
periods.
  The achievements of medical imaging are remarkable. And the potential 
for the future is equally dramatic. Imaging research promises 
breakthroughs in the early detection of such diseases as prostate and 
colon cancer, as well as the identification of individuals at risk for 
Alzheimer's disease.
  Imaging research is also developing the foundation for the surgical 
techniques of the 21st century. Virtual reality neurosurgery, robotic 
surgery, and a whole array of image-guided procedures are 
revolutionizing surgical practice.
  Developments in imaging are also making it possible to deliver better 
medical services to patients in rural regions and other underserved 
areas. Through teleradiology, experts in hospitals hundreds or even 
thousands of miles from patients can read images and make accurate 
diagnoses.

  Americans can reap impressive benefits from future innovations in 
imaging. But these developments could be delayed significantly, or even 
lost, if we do not make a renewed commitment to image researching at 
the National Institutes of Health. The NIH is the premier biomedical 
institution in the world, but it is not organized to optimize research 
in this crucial field. The NIH is organized in Institutes, to support 
research related to specific diseases or body organ systems.
  Imaging, however, is not specific to any one disease or organ. It has 
applications in virtually every area. For that reason, imaging research 
is conducted at most of the Institutes at NIH, but it is not a priority 
at any Institute. Instead, it is dispersed throughout the Institutes, 
producing uncoordinated decisionmaking and resource allocation.
  The same is true on a larger scale beyond the NIH. A number of 
Federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, NASA, the 
National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the 
intelligence agencies support imaging research programs. There is, 
however, no central coordination or direction for this research.
  We can fix this problem. We can provide the needed oversight and 
direction for imaging research at NIH and throughout the Federal 
Government. We can ensure that taxpayer dollars expended on imaging 
research produce a greater return. And we can do all of this without 
additional spending.
  The bill we are introducing today creates an organization at NIH to 
oversee and direct imaging research. But it does not add further layers 
of bureaucracy. On the contrary, the bill allows the Director of NIH to 
use existing administrative structures, existing personnel, and 
existing facilities for the new Institute.

[[Page E1760]]

  In addition, this bill does not further dilute our increasingly 
scarce health care resources. Rather than require larger appropriations 
or create a whole new program with increased overhead, this bill 
consolidates the imaging research programs that are already in place to 
ensure more effective decision-making and investment of resources. It 
also creates a center to coordinate imaging research throughout the 
Federal Government.
  In short, this bill provides an opportunity to improve health care 
for our citizens and improve efficiency at the same time. It will help 
us meet both the formidable scientific and budgetary challenges we 
face.
  I fully recognize that there is not sufficient time remaining in the 
current Congress for the House to act on this legislation. 
Nevertheless, I believe that it is important to raise this issue now. 
We will be considering legislation to reauthorize the NIH in the next 
Congress, and we need to focus on imaging research as we continue the 
debate on the future of biomedical research in this Nation. I hope that 
the introduction of this bill now will contribute to that debate, as 
well as to the construction of a more effective national research 
program.

                          ____________________