NIU Defends Its Proton Therapy Monopoly

July 18th, 2008 at 04:41pm Aaron Chambers

NIU today defended its position as the only entity permitted by a state panel to build a proton therapy center in Illinois. Proton therapy is the cutting edge in radiation treatment of cancer, and NIU in building a center in western DuPage County.

The NIU plan is under attack by Sen. Dan Cronin, R-Elmhurst, and other lawmakers who say the state panel should consider a competing proposal.

A group of 23 state lawmakers is urging a state regulatory agency to approve a second proton therapy facility for DuPage County, which would put two cutting-edge cancer treatment centers within 6 miles of each other.

The lawmakers’ support was captured in a letter written by state Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst) to the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.

As the Tribune story notes, the board approved NIU’s plan but not the competing plan.

Northern Illinois University won state approval in February to build a $160 million proton therapy cancer treatment center in the DuPage National Technology Park in West Chicago. NIU promised the state it could have the center open by March 1, 2010.

In April, the health facilities planning board issued a preliminary rejection of Central DuPage Hospital’s and Procure’s plan for a $140 million facility, citing its nearness to NIU’s. The health board will reconsider the Central DuPage project a final time next month.

Cronin took a shot at NIU …

Cronin’s letter stated that lawmakers were “troubled by the proceedings that resulted in approval for NIU.” The letter also said a staff report prepared for the board relied too heavily on information provided by NIU to the detriment of evidence presented by Central DuPage.

In its statement, NIU’s John Lewis shot back:

NIU followed the rules scrupulously to obtain approval for its non-profit proton therapy treatment and research center, has already broken ground, and remains on time and on budget.  The opinions of those not even involved in the process should be weighed against the ‘facts on the ground.’  The ‘very real reality’ is eligible cancer patients will be able to receive proton treatment at NIU’s center in 2010, as required by the IHFPB’s approval of NIU’s Certificate.

The Register Star covered this story extensively. Go here and here for more background.

Entry Filed under: Proton Therapy