ACR Responds to Senator's Request for Information on NIH Reform and Efficiencies

The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) recently submitted comments in response to a Request for Information (RFI) from U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The senator hopes to use the feedback to identify policies for future legislative efforts to reform the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and modernize the agency.

ACR’s submitted responses regarding prioritizing fundamental research while improving outcomes for translational and clinical projects, the conduct of clinical research, and the funding approach of salaries of extramural investigators. As ACR has historically been a leader in the radiology clinical trial space, helping to develop and implement new prevention, diagnosis and treatment approaches at a faster pace for a variety of diseases and disorders, there was a unique perspective to provide from the organization.

Support for the NIH and the national research infrastructure allows for the continued advancement of scientific discoveries and breakthroughs, improving the lives of patients with a wide spectrum of diseases and disorders, many of whom depend on radiology and imaging tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. ACR has a history of contributing to the success of advancing imaging practices through clinical research on a variety of NIH funded clinical trials, including those conducted by the National Cancer Institute, and is an active partner and collaborator in this space.

ACR welcomes potential collaborations with the HELP Committee on this important topic.

For more information, contact Katie Grady, ACR Government Affairs Director.