Accelerators for America's Future Workshop: Medicine and Biology

Area of Science:

• Accelerator physics and engineering
• Medical physics
• Oncology

Background:

• The United States' leadership in accelerator applications for medicine and biology is declining.
• Coordinated agency support for accelerator research and development (R&D) is critically lacking.
• This decline impacts the advancement of radiation therapy techniques like proton and light-ion therapy.

Framework:

• International comparison highlights differing government support models for accelerator technology.
• Other nations subsidize industry construction and technology development.
• The U.S. relies heavily on private funding for clinical facilities, impacting research.

Implementation:

• Proton therapy, pioneered in the U.S., faces challenges with foreign-manufactured components in domestic facilities.
• Light-ion therapy is currently unavailable in the United States.
• Private funding models for U.S. proton facilities prioritize reimbursable treatments over research protocol development.

Implications:

• The high capital cost of light-ion facilities is prohibitive for U.S. private investment.
• Technological advancements may reduce costs but won't solve the core funding issue.
• Sustainable growth in U.S. accelerator-based medicine requires effective public funding mechanisms beyond the private sector.