Passage of Gaming Bill Benefits Education, Research and the Community

            Scranton, January 11 – Medical education, research and the health of Northeast Pennsylvanians will receive a major boost thanks to gaming legislation signed into law last week.

            Democratic Leader Robert Mellow (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) joined Robert D’Alessandri, MD, President and Dean of The Commonwealth Medical College, to brief the public on progress being made by researchers at the college. Much of this work has been done in   collaboration with area residents. For example, the college recently completed the first clinical trial and the 2009 Regional Health Assessment of Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania.

            “What The Commonwealth Medical College has accomplished in such a short period of time is beyond what I imagined,” said Mellow. “Researchers have made TCMC a destination point nationwide with their impressive work in securing grants, pursuing patents, and making great strides in the laboratory. They have involved the community in this research, and the community will in turn benefit many times over. As long as I am in the Senate, I will continue to fight to ensure this important educational and health resource realizes continued success in Scranton.”

            Legislation signed by the governor last week provides a share of the table games revenue from Mount Airy. The college will initially receive $500,000 to $700,000 per year. If Mount Airy increases the number of table games, it is likely that TCMC will see upwards of $1.2 million annually.

            Janet Townsend, MD, Founding Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health discussed specific ways in which her work is on track to provide direct physical and emotional benefits for women in Pennsylvania. She is conducting research on ways in which to prevent miscarriages in expectant mothers. Her first clinical trial of local women resulted in eight healthy babies. She continues to look for eligible participants to continue her research.

            “TCMC’s faculty and research staff have already secured in the ballpark of $4 million in research grants from federal, state and private sources,” added Mellow. “Every dollar in federal funding brings an economic impact at least five times that amount. The research it funds attracts start-up biotech companies, for example. The new companies can bring further medical advancements, not to mention additional jobs.”

            The briefing concluded with a guided tour of TCMC’s Research Lab and Clinical Skills and Simulation Center in order to highlight some of the latest technology and research tools being utilized at the college.

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