NEWS
05/12/1995

<TITLE> MAMMOGRAPHY FACILITY LOCATOR SERVICE OPENS </TITLE>
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P95-4                               Food and Drug Administration
May 12, 1995                        Sharon Snider (301) 443-3285
                                    (301) 622-0977


           MAMMOGRAPHY FACILITY LOCATOR SERVICE OPENS

     Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala today
announced that an information service for women who want to
locate quality mammography facilities will begin operating on 
Monday, May 15.
     The service will list all facilities that have been
certified by the Food and Drug Administration as capable of
providing quality mammograms. Their names and locations are
available by calling the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-
CANCER (1-800-422-6237), a toll-free number of the National
Cancer Institute.  The service operates each weekday from 9 a.m.
to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
     The information service is part of FDA's implementation of
the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992, which seeks to
enhance the chances for early detection of breast cancer -- and,
therefore, for early treatment and survival -- by ensuring that
all mammography facilities provide high quality mammograms. To 
date, nearly 8,700 of approximately 10,300 facilities have been
fully certified by FDA, and 1,600 have been provisionally 
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                                  P95-4, Page 2, Locator Service 

certified while undergoing accreditation review.  
     Secretary Shalala said, "Women need to know that uniform and
high quality standards are becoming a reality at practically all
facilities that perform mammography in this country -- whether in
a hospital, a doctor's office, a mobile van, or on a military
base."
     FDA Commissioner David A. Kessler, M.D., said, "At these
certified facilities, women can be sure that their mammograms are
as good as qualified professionals and appropriate equipment can
make them."
     Philip R. Lee, M.D., HHS assistant secretary for health and
director of the Public Health Service, said, "Largely as a result
of early detection, through breast exams and mammography, more
women today are being cured through breast-conserving treatment
and getting on with their active, productive lives.  Now, with
this service, women will be able to get the names of quality
mammography facilities in their immediate neighborhoods."
     Under MQSA, mammography facilities must be accredited by an
FDA-approved accreditation body, be certified by FDA, and must
prominently display the certificate issued by the agency.  
     Requirements for certification include:
     o radiologic technologists who perform mammography,
physicians who interpret mammograms and medical physicists who 
survey equipment must have adequate training and experience;
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                                P95-4, Page 3, Locator Service 

     o each facility must have an effective quality control 
program and maintain certain records; 
     o each facility must have a system to track mammograms that
reveal a potential problem and to obtain biopsy results; and
     o each facility must be inspected annually by FDA-trained
inspectors to ensure safe and effective mammography. 
     FDA is one of eight Public Health Service agencies in HHS. 
     Note:  This service is available in Spanish and will soon
          also be available for the hearing impaired. 
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