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NIH Opens New Clinical Research Hospital When: September 22, 2004
Where: NIH Campus, Bethesda, MD
Institute: Office of the Director (OD) The NIH celebrated its most significant campus addition in more than 50 years when the new Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center opened last month. This new hospital totally dedicated to clinical research—research involving patients—provides a unique opportunity for scientists, clinicians, and patients to study and conquer both chronic and acute disease in the 21st century. Patients will move into the new hospital in December.
The 870,000-square-foot Hatfield Center connects to the existing Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, or Building 10, which opened its doors to patients in 1953. Since then, NIH has worked in partnership with more than 350,000 participants in clinical studies from every state and from other nations. NIH advances include: - First cure of a solid tumor with chemotherapy,
- First chemotherapy for childhood leukemia and Hodgkin's disease,
- Discovery of evidence for a genetic component in schizophrenia,
- First use of nitroglycerin for acute myocardial infarction,
- First use of hydroxyurea to treat sickle cell anemia,
- First gene therapy,
- First successful replacement of a mitral valve,
- First use of AZT to treat AIDS, and
- Development of screening tests for AIDS and hepatitis, which reduced the transmission rate of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis from 30 percent to near zero.
Annually, more than 1,000 clinical studies are conducted at NIH and the proximity of labs, equipment, and patient-care units will help to rapidly move biomedical laboratory findings into the mainstream of medical practice—carrying on the "bench-to-bedside" tradition of the original NIH Clinical Center. In 1989, Congress approved construction of a new hospital, followed by renovation of the existing Clinical Center. Named in honor of former Senator Mark O. Hatfield, who served in Congress for 30 years and provided steadfast support to NIH and clinical research, the new hospital will allow for cutting-edge research and patient care in the 21st century. It will accommodate approximately 240 inpatient beds and 80 day-hospital stations. Laboratories and patient rooms are highly flexible and can quickly adapt to meet new requirements and changing priorities. Next Steps
For more information about the new hospital, visit www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/crc. To learn more about NIH, visit www.nih.gov.
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