Industry leaders join forces to promote legislation that expands the availability of radiopharmaceuticals
On July 17, a briefing was held on Capitol Hill to provide information to legislators on the importance of expanding the use and availability of radiopharmaceuticals. In 2008, Medicare grouped radiopharmaceuticals as consumables which bundled them into the payment for the procedure. This has resulted in restricting the development and use of these radiopharmaceuticals. The bill, HR 3772, the Medicare Diagnostic Radiopharmaceutical Payment Equity Act of 2019, aims to rectify the situation which will result in broader access and further development of disease specific radiopharmaceuticals. Link: https://www.healthimaging.com/topics/molecular-imaging/snmmi-mita-expanding-access-radiopharmaceuticals
Production capacity of Tc-99m continues to expand in the United States
This week NorthStar announced another milestone as it finished the construction of its newest facility in Beloit, Wisconsin. In a statement from the company’s president Mr. Stephen Merrick said, “Construction completion of our Beloit, Wis. Mo-99 processing facility is a significant marker of NorthStar’s progress, as we continue to execute on our plan to meet customer demand and ensure reliable, non-uranium based radioisotope supply for the United States.” This latest step in the development of an independent supply of Mo-99 and Tc-99m is confirmation of the importance of nuclear medicine here in the U.S. Link: https://www.healthimaging.com/topics/molecular-imaging/northstar-wraps-construction-mo-99-facility