[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 81 (Tuesday, May 11, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S2443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       REMEMBERING DR. SAUL HERTZ

 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize Dr. 
Saul Hertz, a pioneer for medical uses of radioiodine, RAI.
  The son of Jewish immigrants from Poland, Dr. Hertz graduated from 
Harvard Medical School in 1929. While serving as director of the 
Massachusetts General Hospital's thyroid unit, he attended a 
presentation about the use of physics in medicine. Inspired by the 
concept, Dr. Hertz worked alongside Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology physicist Dr. Arthur Roberts to discover the potential for 
iodine radioisotopes in thyroid disease diagnosis and treatment.
  On March 31, 1941, after years of experiments, Dr. Hertz administered 
the first therapeutic use of radioiodine to a human patient. Never 
before had humans been successfully treated with an artificially 
produced radioactive material. In 1946, Dr. Hertz was the lead author 
of the May issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, 
which featured a 5-year study following 29 patients he treated through 
this method. Today, medical uses of RAI remain the gold standard of 
targeted precision oncology.
  Dr. Hertz made a number of other outstanding contributions to the 
medical field. Notably, his research played an essential role in the 
developing field of nuclear medicine, which was critical during World 
War II and beyond. In 1949, he established the first Nuclear Medicine 
Department at the Massachusetts Women's Hospital.
  Dr. Hertz passed away on July 28, 1950, but his legacy is enduring. 
Not only does his work continue to support extraordinary medical work, 
but his memory also encourages other researchers through the Saul 
Hertz, MD, Award. Bestowed by the Society for Nuclear Medicine and 
Molecular Engineering, this eponymous award honors individuals who make 
phenomenal strides in the radionuclide therapy field.
  Dr. Hertz's archives are kept in Greenwich, CT, offering a rich 
history of research in this critical field and a testament to his 
brilliant, lifesaving work. This year, Greenwich, CT, First Selectman 
Fred Camillo issued a proclamation, naming March 31 ``Dr. Saul Hertz 
Nuclear Medicine/Radio Pharmaceutical Day.'' This recognition is a 
tribute to Dr. Hertz's remarkable legacy and the impact he will forever 
have on this field.
  I applaud his many accomplishments and hope my colleagues will join 
me in remembering Dr. Saul Hertz.

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