AmericanCollegeofRadiology(ACR) TestimonytotheSenateLHHSAppropriationsSubcommittee InSupportofIncreasedFundinginFY2015fortheNationalInstitutesofHealth,National CancerInstitute,andNationalInstituteofBiomedicalImagingandBioengineering SubmittedMarch21,2014 The AmericanCollegeof Radiology(ACR)—aprofessionalorganizationserving morethan 35,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists—recommends increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscalyear(FY)2015appropriationslegislation.Specifically,theACRendorsesthepositionofthe Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research—a coalition of more than 300 patient and voluntary health groups, medical and scientific societies, academic and research organizations, and industry—that NIH receive at least $32 billion in FY 2015 as the next step toward a multi‐year increase in our nation'sinvestmentinmedicalresearch.Thatrecommendedfundinglevelisapproximately$1.874 billion above the President’s Budget request for FY 2015. Additionally, the ACR joins the Ad Hoc Group in urging Congress and the Administration to work in a bipartisan manner to end sequestration and the continued cuts to medical research that squander invaluable scientific opportunities, discourage young scientists, jeopardize our economic future, and threaten medical progressandcontinuedimprovementsinournation'shealth. ThevalueoftheNIHtoAmericantaxpayersisimmeasurable,andtherehavebeenseveralrecent examplesofimpactfulscienceinthebiomedicalimagingdomainthatwouldnothavebeenrealized and translated swiftly into patient care without NIH support and involvement. For instance, the NIHNationalCancerInstitute’s(NCI)nearlydecade‐longNationalLungScreeningTrial—conducted bytheAmericanCollegeofRadiologyImagingNetwork(ACRIN)andLungScreeningStudygroup— found that computed tomography (CT) screening of high risk patients could reduce deaths from lung cancer by 20 percent versus chest X‐ray screening. Another NCI‐supported success, the National CT Colonography Trial—also conducted by ACRIN—found that virtual colonoscopy was effective as a screening method for colorectal cancer thanks to its accuracy, safety, cost‐ effectiveness, and patient acceptability compared to more invasive and potentially intimidating screening options. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) now a member of the NRG OncologyGroupinthenewNationalClinicalTrialsNetwork(NCTN),istheinternationalleaderin investigating the appropriateness of advanced technologies such as proton therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in multi‐center randomized trials examining the safety, effectiveness, and quality of life implications of these treatments. Additional ACRIN (now ECOG‐ ACRIN in the NCTN) and NRG activities under NCI’s purview promise to advance the areas of personalizedearlycancerdetection,identifybiomarkerstopredicttreatmenteffectiveness,reduce therateoffalse‐positiveimagingexaminations,andimprovecancerscreeningoutcomes.However, NCI’s funding of cooperative groups in the evolved National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) has beenseverelycutandthegroups’plannedbudgetsareconsiderablybelowexpectations.Weurge Congress to restore the full funding approved by the NCI’s Board of Scientific Advisors for the organizationsthattransitionedfromthecooperativegroupprogramintothenewNCTN. Although smaller than NCI, the NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)haslikewisebeensuccessfulinadvancingthesciencebehindevolvingbiomedicalimaging technologiesandtechniques.TheACRplayedakeyroleinNIBIB’screationthroughco‐foundinga coalition of likeminded organizations and working with federal policymakers to successfully advance the establishing legislation in 2000. Since its inception, NIBIB has been particularly effectiveinsupportingtraininginitiatives,educationalsymposia,andinternationalcollaborations, as well as fostering future generations of biomedical imaging and bioengineering scientists via innovativeinitiativesandcommunications. WithoutsignificantlyincreasedfundinglevelsforNIHinFY2015andbeyond,America’sleadership in biomedical research will decline, scientists will be increasingly discouraged by the lack of funding opportunities, and innovative technologies and techniques (such as those supported through NCI and NIBIB) will not be appropriately researched and translated into patient care. Therefore, the ACR endorses the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research’s recommendation that NIH receiveatleast$32billioninFY2015aspartofamulti‐yearincrease,andthatCongressandthe Administrationworktogethertodecisivelyendsequestration. Thank you for your consideration. Please contact Gloria R. Romanelli, JD, Senior Director of Legislative and Regulatory Relations ([email protected]), or Michael Peters, Director of LegislativeandRegulatoryAffairs([email protected]),at(202)223‐1670ifyouhaveanyquestions orwouldlikeadditionalinformationabouttheimportantcontributionsofNCIandNIBIB. Contact:GloriaRomanelli,JDandMichaelPeters AmericanCollegeofRadiology 5059thStreet,NW,Suite910 Washington,DC20004 (202)223‐1670|[email protected]|[email protected] Contact: Gloria Romanelli, JD and Michael Peters Government Relations Department American College of Radiology (ACR) 505 9th Street, NW, Suite 910 Washington, DC 20004 | (202) 223‐1670 [email protected] | [email protected] AmericanCollegeofRadiology(ACR) TestimonytotheHouseLHHSAppropriationsSubcommittee InSupportofIncreasedFundinginFY2015fortheNationalInstitutesofHealth, NationalCancerInstitute,and NationalInstituteofBiomedicalImagingandBioengineering SubmittedMarch21,2014 TheAmericanCollegeofRadiology(ACR)—aprofessionalorganizationservingmorethan 35,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists—recommends increased funding for the National InstitutesofHealth(NIH)infiscalyear(FY)2015appropriationslegislation.Specifically, the ACR endorses the position of the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research—a coalition of more than 300 patient and voluntary health groups, medical and scientific societies, academicandresearchorganizations,andindustry—thatNIHreceiveatleast$32billionin FY 2015 as the next step toward a multi‐year increase in our nation's investment in medicalresearch.Thatrecommendedfundinglevelisapproximately$1.874billionabove thePresident’sBudgetrequestforFY2015.Additionally,theACRjoinstheAdHocGroup in urging Congress and the Administration to work in a bipartisan manner to end sequestration and the continued cuts to medical research that squander invaluable scientific opportunities, discourage young scientists, jeopardize our economic future, and threatenmedicalprogressandcontinuedimprovementsinournation'shealth. ThevalueoftheNIHtoAmericantaxpayersisimmeasurable,andtherehavebeenseveral recent examples of impactful science in the biomedical imaging domain that would not have been realized and translated swiftly into patient care without NIH support and involvement. For instance, the NIH National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) nearly decade‐long National Lung Screening Trial—conducted by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) and Lung Screening Study group—found that computed tomography (CT) screening of high risk patients could reduce deaths from lung cancer by 20 percent versus chest X‐ray screening. Another NCI‐supported success, the National CT Colonography Trial—also conducted by ACRIN—found that virtual colonoscopy was effective as a screening method for colorectal cancer thanks to its accuracy, safety, cost‐ effectiveness, and patient acceptability compared to more invasive and potentially intimidating screening options. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) now a memberoftheNRGOncologyGroupinthenewNationalClinicalTrialsNetwork(NCTN),is theinternationalleaderininvestigatingtheappropriatenessofadvancedtechnologiessuch as proton therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in multi‐center randomized trials examining the safety, effectiveness, and quality of life implications of thesetreatments.AdditionalACRIN(nowECOG‐ACRINintheNCTN)andNRGactivities underNCI’spurviewpromisetoadvancetheareasofpersonalizedearlycancerdetection, identify biomarkers to predict treatment effectiveness, reduce the rate of false‐positive imagingexaminations,andimprovecancerscreeningoutcomes.However,NCI’sfundingof cooperative groups in the evolved National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) has been severely cut and the groups’ planned budgets are considerably below expectations. We urgeCongresstorestorethefullfundingapprovedbytheNCI’sBoardofScientificAdvisors for the organizations that transitionedfromthe cooperative group programinto the new NCTN. Although smaller than NCI, the NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) has likewise been successful in advancing the science behind evolving biomedical imaging technologies and techniques. The ACR played a key role in NIBIB’screationthroughco‐foundingacoalitionoflikemindedorganizationsandworking with federal policymakers to successfully advance the establishing legislation in 2000. Sinceitsinception,NIBIBhasbeenparticularlyeffectiveinsupportingtraininginitiatives, educational symposia, and international collaborations, as well as fostering future generationsofbiomedicalimagingandbioengineeringscientistsviainnovativeinitiatives andcommunications. Without significantly increased funding levels for NIH in FY 2015 and beyond, America’s leadership in biomedical research will decline, scientists will be increasingly discouraged bythelackoffundingopportunities,andinnovativetechnologiesandtechniques(suchas those supported through NCI and NIBIB) will not be appropriately researched and translated into patient care. Therefore, the ACR endorses the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research’s recommendation that NIH receive at least $32 billion in FY 2015 as part of a multi‐yearincrease,andthatCongressandtheAdministrationworktogethertodecisively endsequestration. Thankyouforyourconsideration.PleasecontactGloriaR.Romanelli,JD,SeniorDirectorof Legislative and Regulatory Relations ([email protected]), or Michael Peters, Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs ([email protected]), at (202) 223‐1670 if you have any questions or would like additional information about the important contributions of NCI andNIBIB.