From the June 2018 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine


HCB News: Have there been any recent developments in the nuclear medicine field that you find particularly promising or exciting?
SM: Theranostics for cancer treatments, where imaging diagnosis and targeted therapy are combined, enabling the practice of precision medicine and improving patient outcomes, is very exciting. Theranostics for neuroendocrine tumors has already become available for clinical care. Similar approaches are actively being developed for prostate cancer. Research is ongoing to apply similar approaches to cancers that are difficult to treat, such as pancreatic cancer.

There are also new molecular tracers for neurological disorders. These tracers are already helping drug development for widespread conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Observations from these molecular brain imaging investigations are defining disease progression at a molecular level and even contributing to the new diagnostic framework of neurodegenerative disorders.
HCB News: What is the availability of the new molecular tracers? Are they still confined to research hospitals or are they available beyond?
SM: In 2016, two new radiotracers, one for neuroendocrine tumors and the other for prostate cancer, were approved for clinical use by FDA. This year, we have a new radioactive therapeutic drug approved by FDA for neuroendocrine tumor. In 2017, amyloid PET imaging tracers were available throughout the U.S. under the CMS Coverage with Evidence Development. Many institutions are working on the implementation of these new technologies. It is such an exciting time. We can bring the value of the new developments for patient care now.

HCB News: What are the biggest roadblocks to heavier adoption of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging in the U.S. today?
SM: The cost of the procedures and reimbursement are the biggest roadblocks. The SNMMI advocacy group regularly meets with policy makers in DC on behalf of our members. There is also the limited recognition of the value of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging in the U.S., both within the imaging communities and outside referral communities. The SNMMI outreach group is working very closely with patient groups and referral experts to communicate our value clearly to all stakeholders. This has been one of our focused efforts.

HCB News: Has approval for reimbursement of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging procedures become easier to get, harder or remained the same for new uses over the past five years?

June 2018 Magazine

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