Following passage of legislation to expedite the regulatory approval process for necessary equipment, a Grand Rapids health provider is bringing what it describes as revolutionary new imaging and targeted radiation cancer therapy to Michigan.

BAMF Health received its Certificate of Need (CON) much quicker than it would have due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Grand Rapids, Michigan based company was guided through the legislative process by the members of Plunkett Cooney’s Government Relations, Public Policy & Regulatory Compliance team.

Sponsored by Sen. Winnie Brinks, Senate Bill 0440 created a new program within the state’s CON process. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the resulting law, known as Public Act 35 of 2021. The legislation allows the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to approve a pilot program to provide Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner services if the petitioner meets certain requirements.

In February 2022, BAMF Health is set to open its state-of-the-art Radiopharmacy, Theranostics Clinic, and Corporate Headquarters on the Medical Mile, in downtown Grand Rapids. The facility will use PET scanners to identify cancer cells for a targeted radioactive drug treatment that does not damage surrounding tissues or cause side effects. Once a diagnostic isotope identifies a tumor, a therapeutic isotope is injected, releasing a large amount of targeted radiation to the cancerous area, which can be as small as two millimeters.

BAMF Health is achieving this intelligence-based precision medicine through artificial intelligence enabled molecular imaging and theranostics. According to company officials, the technology can also be used for early detection of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, it has application for the diagnosis of cardiac disease and mental health disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and depression.

Approval of Michigan Public Act 35 paves the way for BAMF Health to create approximately 200 jobs in western Michigan in the short-term and another 10 locations across the country in the future. To learn more about BAMF Health, click here. For details about the legislative history of Public Act 35 of 2021, click here.