The American College of Radiology has joined 115 other organizations in voicing its support for Monica Bertagnolli, MD, selected to lead the National Institutes of Health.
President Biden first announced his intent to nominate the “world renowned” surgical oncologist, cancer researcher, educator and physician leader on May 15. However, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has indicated that he will block the HELP Committee from reviewing the nomination.
The longtime Vermont Senator said he plans to prevent the process from moving forward until the administration presents a plan on lowering drug prices, the college reported June 22. Amid the delay, ACR, the Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research, and others penned a letter to Senate leaders asking them to move the matter forward.
“The United States remains the world’s preeminent biomedical, behavioral and social science research power, and the NIH is central to this history and to our future,” the groups wrote June 12. “We must not lose momentum. We have full confidence in Dr. Bertagnolli and respectfully ask the Senate HELP Committee and members of the Senate to swiftly confirm her as the next director of the NIH.”
Bertagnolli is currently serving as director of the National Cancer Institute. As of June 22, the Senate had not yet announced when it plans to move forward with the nomination, ACR reported.
Others signing the letter included GO2 for Lung Cancer, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, the COPD Foundation and the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.