On June 15, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health approved, by voice vote, a bill (H.R. 4555) to reauthorize the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) through FY2007. The Senate approved a measure (S. 1879) to reauthorize the MQSA for two years on February 3 (see The Source, 3/6/04).
First enacted in 1992, the MQSA sought to correct wide variations in the quality of mammography screening around the country. The law established uniform equipment, personnel, and quality standards; required mammography facilities to employ qualified physicians to interpret mammogram results; and created a quality assurance and control program.
Sponsored by Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), H.R. 4555 would allow the Department of Health and Human Services secretary to issue a temporary renewal certificate to a mammography facility seeking reaccreditation. The secretary also would be permitted to issue a provisional certificate to a facility allowing it to conduct examinations for educational purposes while an accrediting agency is on the premises.
In his opening remarks, Rep. Dingell stated, “Just a few days ago, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published a detailed report entitled: ‘Saving Women’s Lives, Strategies for Improving Breast Cancer Detection and Diagnosis.’ According to the IOM, ‘[m]ammography is a safety net that saves lives each year…and although mammography saves lives, it is not perfect.’ The IOM report noted that many women who would benefit from mammography do not undergo regular screening and others who do undergo regular screening develop breast cancers that were not detected by their mammography exam. While the report notes that progress has been made in reducing mortality from breast cancer, it is still the second leading cause of death for women.”
