The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the so-called Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options for Veterans Act, which would expand veterans’ access to breast cancer screening and cancer care, on Wednesday.The measure would require VA medical centers to upgrade to 3-D imaging for breast cancer detectionFemale veterans are at higher risk of developing breast cancer, possibly because of exposure to toxic substances and environmental hazards was introduced by Sens.
If the bill becomes law, the Department of Veterans Affairs would be required to develop a plan to upgrade VA mammography suites to include 3-D imaging, create a telemammography pilot program for veterans who live in areas where the VA does not offer in-house mammography, and expand veterans’ access to clinical trials through partnerships with the National Cancer Institute.
According to Tammy Barlet, deputy director of national legislative services for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, not all VA medical centers have mammography facilities and of those that do only 88 percent use 3-D screening.