On October 9, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a bill (H.R. 4555) to reauthorize the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) through FY2007. The House approved the measure on October 5 (see The Source, 10/8/04). It will now go to the White House for President Bush’s signature.
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 secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 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.
The measure would require that health care officials with clinical practice and research experience related to mammography be included on the National Mammography Quality Assurance Advisory Committee. Under the bill, the HHS secretary would appoint at least four members from national breast cancer or consumer health organizations and at least two members from the mammography equipment industry.
Explaing that the bill “is about saving lives,” Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) stated, “Mammography is not perfect, but it is the best screening tool we have now. I authored MQSA 12 years ago to improve the quality of mammograms so that they are safe and accurate. Before MQSA became law, there was an uneven and conflicting patchwork of standards for mammography in this country. There were no national quality standards for personnel or equipment. Image quality of mammograms and patient exposure to radiation levels varied widely. The quality of mammography equipment was poor. Physicians and technologists were poorly trained. Inspections were lacking. MQSA set Federal safety and quality assurance standards for mammography facilities for: personnel, including doctors who interpret mammograms; equipment; and operating procedures. By creating national standards, Congress helped make mammograms a more reliable tool for detecting breast cancer.”
