U.S. Congress
Key Federal Agencies
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality provides evidence-based information on healthcare outcomes, quality and cost, use and access. Information from AHRQ’s research helps people make more informed decisions and improve the quality of healthcare services. AHRQ was formerly known as the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
To visit the AHRQ Web site, click here.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recognized as the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions and promoting health through strong partnerships. CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
To visit the CDC Web site, click here.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMS runs the Medicare and Medicaid programs — two national healthcare programs that benefit approximately 75 million Americans.
To visit the CMS Web site, click here.
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
The mission of the U.S. Department of Defense is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country. The purpose of DefenseLINK is to support the overall mission of DOD by providing official, timely and accurate information about defense policies, organizations, functions and operations. Information available through this agency will become vital to ASTRO as we prepare our members for a nuclear radiologic attack or disaster.
To visit the DOD Web site, click here.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
The U.S. Department of Energy’s mission is to enhance national security. The priorities of DOE are to insure the integrity and safety of the country’s nuclear weapons, promote international nuclear safety, advance nuclear non-proliferation and continue to provide safe, efficient and effective nuclear power plants for the United States Navy.
To visit the DOE Web site, click here.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
The Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
To visit the HHS Web site, click here.
Departmend of Homeland Security (DHS)
The creation of the Department of Homeland Security is the most significant transformation of the U.S. government in over a half-century. The mission of DHS is to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that occur.
To visit the DHS Web site, click here.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-Centers for Devices and Radiologic Health (CDRH)
The Center for Devices and Radiologic Health protects the public health by providing reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and by eliminating unnecessary human exposure to radiation emitted from electronic products.
To visit the FDA Web site, click here.
To visit the CDRH Web site, click here.
Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Sciences (IOM/NAS)
The mission of the Institute of Medicine is to advance and disseminate scientific knowledge to improve human health. The Institute provides objective, timely, authoritative information and advice concerning health and science policy to government, the corporate sector, the professions and the public.
The National Academy of Sciences is an honorific society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare.
To visit the IOM Web site, click here.
To visit the NAS Web site, click here.
Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP)
The Office for Human Research Protections was established on June 13, 2000. It is charged with developing and monitoring compliance to HHS Regulations for the protection of human subjects in research conducted or supported by any component of the Department of Health and Human Services. OHRP also evaluates the effectiveness of HHS policies and programs for the protection of human subjects and conducts programs of clarification and guidance for both the federal and non-federal sectors with respect to the involvement of humans in research.
To visit the OHRP Web site, click here.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The National Institutes of Health is the principle biomedical research agency of the federal government. Its mission is to employ science in the pursuit of knowledge to improve human health conditions. NIH, comprising 27 separate Institutes (including NCI and NBIB) and Centers, is one of eight health agencies of the Public Health Service which, in turn, is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
To visit the NIH Web site, click here.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The National Cancer Institute is a part of the National Institutes of Health, the federal focal point for medical research in the United States. NCI provides funding opportunities, training programs and technology programs for cancer research. The organization also provides detailed cancer information for patients and information on federal funding for cancer research.
To visit the NCI Web site, click here.
National Institute on Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
The mission of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering is to improve health by promoting fundamental discoveries, design and development, and translation and assessment of technological capabilities in biomedical imaging and bioengineering, enabled by relevant areas of information science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials science and computer sciences. The institute plans, conducts, fosters and supports an integrated and coordinated program of research and research training that can be applied to a broad spectrum of biological processes, disorders and diseases and across organ systems. The institute coordinates with the biomedical imaging and bioengineering programs of other agencies and NIH Institutes to support imaging and engineering research with potential medical applications and facilitates the transfer of such technologies to medical applications.
To visit the NIBIB Web site, click here.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency established by the U.S. Congress under the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to ensure adequate protection of the public health and safety, the common defense and security and the environment in the use of nuclear materials in the United States. NRC's scope of responsibility includes regulation of:
Commercial nuclear power reactors; nonpower research, test and training reactors.
Fuel cycle facilities; medical, academic and industrial uses of nuclear materials.
The transport, storage and disposal of nuclear materials and waste.
To visit the NRC Web site, click here.
