SNM applauds NAS study showing need to restore federal nuclear medicine resear...( RESTON Va. -- Based on the results o...)

RESTON, Va. -- Based on the results of a recent National Academy of Sciences report, federal funding for basic molecular imaging/nuclear medicine research should be restored to the U.S. Department of Energy, says SNM, the worlds largest society for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine professionals.

Funded by the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health, the 13-month, $700,000 report was prompted by a $23 million cut in funding from the DOE Office of Sciences fiscal year 2006 budget, which effectively eliminated most money for basic nuclear medicine and molecular imaging research. The DOE has funded basic molecular imaging/nuclear medicine research since biomedical research was initially included in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. This research has lead to the introduction of many life-saving technologies over the years. Advancing Nuclear Medicine Through Innovation recommends that the federal government enhance its commitment to nuclear medicine research since expanded use of nuclear medicine techniques has the potential to accelerate, simplify and reduce the costs of developing and delivering improved health care and could facilitate the implementation of personalized medicine.

The loss of funding for nuclear medicine research in the U.S. Department of Energy budget has been a tremendous blow to -- most importantly -- our current and future patients and our field, said SNM President Alexander J. McEwan, who represents 16,000 physicians, technologists and scientists. This report confirms that funding for this nations basic research program must be restored or future life-saving diagnostic and treatment procedures could be lost, he added.

If funding is not restored in the 2008 fiscal year, it will be detrimental to researchers and their labs. This is the only federal government research money dedicated to basic nuclear medicine research, and there are no plans to move this research to another federal agency, explai
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