AHA presses Bureau of Land Management to work with HHS, others to secure helium pipeline

The AHA last week encouraged the Bureau of Land Management to work with the Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Food and Drug Administration to assist in taking steps to protect access to helium prior to executing the final sale of the Federal Helium Reserve near Amarillo, Texas. AHA urged BLM to act to ensure a steady supply of helium during the transfer of ownership and during the time it will take the new owners to begin full operations. In hospitals and health systems, helium is principally used to operate magnetic resonance imaging machines and to assist individuals suffering from breathing disorders, such as asthma.