Cancer Research Journal » Legislation

Candidates Share Cancer Plans at 2008 LIVESTRONG Summit

Lisa — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:05:27 +0000

If you’re a cancer survivor, cancer advocate or oncology professional with time to travel this month, consider a trip to Columbus, Ohio.

Why Columbus?

The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) is hosting a major cancer summit at Ohio State University on July 24-27, 2008.

Organizers of the summit are planning to bring together 1,000 leaders from across the country to discuss the future of cancer research in the United States. By bringing together cancer survivors, healthcare professionals, major media outlets and prominent politicians, the event hopes to raise awareness about the importance of legislation funding scientific research related to cancer prevention and treatment.

The summit will also help voters learn candidates’ plans for addressing the cancer epidemic before ballots are cast this fall.

Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain has already confirmed he will attend the 2008 LIVESTRONG Summit. Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama has yet to respond to LAF’s invitation. (If you know him, please encourage him to accept.)

Whether Senator Obama makes the time to attend or not, the summit is an important step in keeping cancer research on the national agenda. As LAF’s famous founder said,

“We have 10,000,000 cancer survivors in this country. If they all came together and said, that’s it, that’s our issue — we’re going to vote that way, we’re going to ask the hard questions, and we’re going to hold our leaders accountable, then that’s how you affect change.”

Lance Armstrong
Champion Cyclist, Testicular Cancer Survivor, Cancer Advocate

To learn more about government funding for the National Cancer Institute, visit the NCI Office of Budget and Finance web site at http://obf.cancer.gov/.

Source: LIVESTRONG Newsletter

Technorati Tags: cancer awareness; government grants; election issues; national health policy; nonprofit organization

President Signs Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

Lisa — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:00:48 +0000

On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, President George W. Bush signed HR 493 into law.

HR 493 is The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, commonly referred to as GINA. It prohibits employers and health insurance companies from discriminating against people with genes that make it more likely they will develop cancer (such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 for breast and ovarian cancers) or other hereditary diseases.

The Act’s passage is being praised by Americans with genetic test results showing they’re genetically predisposed to cancer, as well as those who’ve been afraid to get DNA tests because they feared losing their health insurance.

Cancer advocacy groups and legislators worked for 13 years to get GINA passed, but now that the law’s enacted, there’s more to be done. As one expert said,

“Our challenge now is to make sure that doctors and patients are aware of these new protections so that fear of discrimination never again stands in the way of a decision to take a genetic test that could save a life.”

Kathy Hudson, PhD
Director, Genetics and Public Policy Center
Johns Hopkins University

If you’d like to read more about the potential uses of genetic information, you can click here to visit the Human Genome Project Information page.

Source: C-SPAN

Technorati Tags: pre-vivor; oncology; genetic counseling; family history; cancer prevention; health policy

Campaign Calls for Alternative Treatments in Clinical Trials

Lisa — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:06:58 +0000

An alternative health company is asking citizens of the United Kingdom to support legislation which would include herbal supplements and other natural treatments in clinical trials comparing the effectiveness of investigational drugs against a placebo.

Sweet Cures of York, a marketer of herbal products and natural remedies, has launched a campaign to gain public support for required testing of alternative medicines alongside new pharmaceuticals and placebos in clinical research that’s conducted as part of the drug approval process.

Representatives from the company point out that evaluating the effectiveness of natural remedies under the same laboratory conditions as investigational medications and placebos gives a truer indication of drug efficacy.

It could also provide healthcare consumers and professionals better scientific evidence for determining which alternative treatments actually work and which don’t — a conclusion that’s often hard to come by given the conflicting claims and limited peer-reviewed research available for many of today’s popular natural products.

Opponents of the proposed measure have expressed concerns that adding alternative medicines into the research mix would make the approval process for new chemotherapies and other prescription medications longer and more expensive than it already is.

Whichever side you support, discussion about using herbal supplements, food-based remedies, and lifestyle changes to treat cancer and other serious conditions is likely to continue. As one herbal expert put it,

“Until tamoxifen and raloxifene are compared to standardized bean soup and/or to kudzu no one knows for sure – not you, me or the ACS.”

James Duke, PhD
The Herbal Insider

If you’d like to learn more about the use of alternative medicines in the US, you can visit the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine from the National Institutes of Health.

Source: Medical News Today

Related Links: MD Anderson Cancer Center; ScienceDaily

Technorati Tags: allopathic medicine; holistic medicine; health policy; healthcare reform; patient-centered care; clinical oncology; botanicals; pharmacology

English Scientists Ask Germany to Amend Stem Cell Act

Lisa — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:52:22 +0000

Two directors of the North East England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) have written to members of the German Parliament urging them to legalize human embryonic stem cell research in Germany.

The German Bundestag has been considering an amendment to the German Stem Cell Act of 2002 which would lift the country’s ban on the use of human embryonic stem cells for research purposes.

Embryonic stem cell research is already legal in the United Kingdom where the two NESCI co-directors, Professor Chris Hutchison and Professor Michael Whitaker, are located. The two scientists oversee NESCI studies which include a variety of human stem cells including adult tissue, embryonic and umbilical cord stem cells.

While Germany’s stem cell policies do not directly impact NESCI’s work, Professors Whitaker and Hutchison chose to contact the parliament on behalf of German scientists who’ve been excluded from some international research projects because of restrictions in the 2002 Act. The German Research Foundation and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have also stated their support for amending the Act.

In their letters, the two professors said it’s too early to know how various types of stem cells can contribute to the treatment of diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s Disease, but they agree with the German Research Foundation’s recommendation to lift Germany’s ban. The letter added,

“Not to alter the Act will leave German researchers who have contributed substantially to embryonic stem cell research very isolated and unable to legally access newer cell lines, even those made outside Germany.”

(Extract from NESCI letter to German Bundestag)

If you’d like to check the status of legislation related to cancer research here in the United States, you can visit the Library of Congress THOMAS web site.

Source: Durham University (UK)

Related Links: Science; BBC; GRM; DRZE; CNN

Related Podcast: What’s Next for Stem-Cell Research, etc. from Science by AAAS

Technorati Tags: bioethics; Newcastle University; NHS; Regional Development Agency; One NorthEast; International Centre for Life in Newcastle

Click Here to Put a Colonoscopy in Your Basket? Carol Launches Controversial Healthcare Shopping Site

Lisa — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:58:20 +0000

The list of items consumers can buy over the internet just got longer thanks to a new web portal called Carol.

Carol’s innovative site, dubbed The Care Marketplace™, offers patients the opportunity to shop, compare prices, and schedule medical services online in the same way they would purchase clothing or any other retail good.

Rather than searching through long listings of doctors and hospitals, healthcare consumers click on parts of the body shown on a graphic and then choose the type of appointment they’re looking for. Instantly Carol provides them a list of available services, their cost, and an opportunity to schedule an appointment.

After hearing the service mentioned in research for a different article, I made a quick visit to The Care Marketplace™ operated by Carol. In less than five minutes, I located an abdominal CT scan for $400, a prostate cancer evaluation for $493, suture removal for $59 and a diabetes prevention class for $15.

The site’s interactive tools let me see detailed side-by-side comparisons of similar appointments offered at different prices, but some services I spot-checked only offered one option — a limitation Carol’s creators expect will correct itself as doctor participation increases.

About 30 healthcare institutions in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, including Park Nicollet Clinic with almost 700 doctors, currently participate in Carol and the company has plans to branch out to another US market later this year. The service is free for patients and visitors can view the site without registering or providing personal information.

While experts seem to agree the site is convenient, their reactions to its mission are mixed. As the opinions below illustrate, some believe Carol is just a savvy new form of advertising for HMOs and medical professionals while others consider it an innovation that will empower patients to make smarter healthcare choices.

“We want to let consumers define value. We don’t have care competition in the marketplace today.”

Tony Miller
Chief Executive Officer, Carol

“Among physicians, there’s a belief that health care is too critical…to be left to the usual marketplace.”

Dr Sidney Wolfe
Public Citizen’s Health Research Group

Controversial or not, analysts say sites such as Carol which make medical costs more transparent to the patient could catch on, especially with people having high-deductible plans, employer-based health savings accounts or no health insurance because calculating out-of-pocket expenses is a bigger concern for those individuals.

Source: Associated Press article from CNN

Related Podcast: Will Carol.com revolutionize health care? from MPR

Technorati Tags: cancer treatments; oncology; radiology; cancer diagnosis; Twin Cities; Minnesota; Definity Health; UnitedHealth Group

Kids Willing to Take Risks for Cancer Research

Lisa — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:45:14 +0000

A study of children involved in cancer treatments and other trials indicates most of them are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to further research projects and charitable causes, even if the activities wouldn’t benefit them personally.

To arrive at the findings, scientists from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development interviewed 81 sets of children (ages 7 to 14 years) and their parents/guardians at a clinic where the children were receiving care or participating in clinical research for cancer or asthma.

After being presented hypothetical scenarios of various research studies and charitable activities that would pose an increased risk of headaches or broken bones, the patients were asked if they’d be willing to participate. Although they were told the study could not benefit their own treatment, a large percentage of the children – up to 71% in some instances – said they would still volunteer.

Depending on the risks presented, 24 to 72 percent of the guardians stated they’d provide parental consent even when the proposed activities offered no clinical benefit to their own child.

The authors of the study concluded the findings supported the acceptability of exposing children to some research risks for the benefit of others.

Results of the study are published in the January 2008 edition of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

On a related note, there’s a bipartisan bill currently making its way through the US Congress which could potentially impact funding for pediatric cancer research. If you’d like to track the status of the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2007 click here.

Source: Jan 2008 Issue of The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine

Related Video:

Alex Scott (1996 – 2004) from YouTube

Related Podcast: Volunteens from St Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Tags: pediatric research; David Wendler, PhD; Tammara Jenkins, MSN; Bethesda, MD; H.R. 1553; S. 911; voter information; informed consent

Cancer Patients Seek National Policy on Fertility Treatment

Lisa — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:04:29 +0000

Approximately 11,000 people between the ages of 15 and 40 are diagnosed with cancer each year in England. While many patients in this age group go on to become long-term cancer survivors, a large percentage of them are rendered infertile as a result of their cancer treatments.

Modern medicine continues to offer new options for those wishing to have children after they’ve had chemotherapy, radiation or surgical treatments for cancer, but these options can be expensive.

Now physicians and patient advocates in England are calling on the National Health Service (NHS) to implement a national policy granting cancer patients universal access to a range of fertility preservation services including egg, embryo, and sperm storage.

While some NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) managers already fund fertility services and professional fertility counseling for cancer patients, a survey conducted by the charity Cancerbackup highlighted some significant disparities in the options being offered by different PCTs.

According to the charity’s poll, one-fifth of the 84 PCTs polled did not fund sperm storage and half did not offer embryo storage.

England, like many other countries, is already struggling to meet the needs of their patient population with the finite resources at their disposal so funding fertility services will be a complex issue. As two experts offering different perspectives pointed out,

“When faced with a number of competing issues and guidance, PCTs are charged with making difficult decisions on priorities based on local need.”

David Stout
NHS Confederation

“It is unacceptable that access to fertility services for cancer patients is dependent on where you live.”

Joanne Rule
Chief Executive, Cancerbackup

If you’d like to read more about fertility preservation options available to cancer patients living in the United States, you can visit the MD Anderson Cancer Center web site.

Source: BBC News Health

Tags: cryopreservation; health care reform; sperm bank; United Kingdom; oophorectomy; Assisted Reproductive Technology – IVF/FET/GIFT/TET/ZIFT

Scotland Ponders Presumed Consent for Organ Donation

Lisa — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:27:12 +0000

Every year patients in the United States and around the world die while they wait on organ transplant lists for organs that never become available.

While surveys indicate a majority of people are willing to donate organs after their death, a much lower percentage actually get around to registering as an organ donor.

Now Scotland is considering a measure to help close that gap.

MSP George Foulkes is proposing the Scotland Parliament adopt a policy known as presumed consent for organ donation. This means that Scotland’s National Health Service would automatically treat every deceased citizen as a potential organ donor unless the individual formally opt outs in advance.

Currently, both the US and Scotland require written authorization from the patient or their next of kin before organs or tissue can be harvested. If consent cannot be obtained while the organs are still viable, the opportunity for obtaining transplant organs is lost.

MSP Foulkes would like to see Scotland implement a presumed consent policy by the end of 2008. In the meantime, he is encouraging the country’s citizens to sign up on the NHS organ donor registry. As he explained,

“I understand that people don’t like to think of their own death, but by signing the register they are committing to giving life and that I hope is what will motivate people to sign up and give something back.”

Baron George Foulkes
Lothians MSP

If you live in the United States and you’d like some tips on how to make your own organ donation preferences known, you can visit the Aging With Dignity web site at www.agingwithdignity.org. Hospice workers and other caregivers who assist late-stage cancer patients and others make final arrangements can also order useful support materials there.

Source: BBC News

Related Podcast – Organ Donation: Opportunities for Action from the National Academies Press

Tags: advance directives; public health policy; organ procurement

Aussie Study Shows Lung Cancer Will Soon Kill More Women Than Breast Cancer

Lisa — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:00:13 +0000

Research conducted by the NSW Cancer Institute in New South Wales, Australia, is predicting lung cancer will soon replace breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among NSW women.

According to the institute’s statistics, lung cancer will kill 43 more NSW women annually than breast cancer by the year 2010. And while increasing numbers of NSW women are surviving breast cancer, only 15 percent of NSW females diagnosed with lung cancer are expected to live five years after diagnosis. Eight out of 10 lung cancer cases are directly attributed to smoking cigarettes.

To combat the lung cancer problem, NSW recently banned smoking in the state’s 3,700 licensed establishments and tripled funding for anti-smoking campaigns. The new measures appear to be having a positive impact: daily smoking rates for NSW women have fallen to a record low of 12.9%

Even with lower smoking rates, health officials acknowledge there’s still more to be done. As one official stated,

“While we are making real progress in tackling the preventable causes of cancer, I believe there is still more the Government can do, particularly when it comes to the community’s understanding of lung cancer and its current treatments.”

The Hon. Verity H. Firth
Assistant Health Minister (Cancer), New South Wales

The figures were released by Australian officials in support of National Lung Cancer Awareness Month activities being held throughout November.

Source: Cancer Institute NSW News & Media

Related Links: abc.net.au; The Sydney Morning Herald

Related Podcast: Smoking Bans Help People Quit, Research Says from NPR

Tags: cancer incidence rates; public health initiatives

Cancer Research Gets $3B Boost from Texas Voters

Lisa — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:00:51 +0000

On Tuesday, Texas voters approved Proposition 15, an amendment authorizing the state to spend 3 billion dollars on cancer research over the next 10 years.

The proposition received strong backing from Governor Rick Perry, former state comptroller John Sharp, bi-partisan legislators, numerous healthcare professionals, the American Cancer Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and other cancer organizations.

Several conservative groups objected to the proposal citing concerns over growing state debt and possible funding of embryonic stem cell testing.

The approved tax-backed bond measure creates the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas which will be responsible for issuing up to 300 million dollars a year over the next decade to fund cancer research grants, facilities and prevention programs.

Supporters of Proposition 15 feel the victory will not only benefit cancer patients in Texas, but cancer research initiatives around the world. As one proponent stated,

“I think Texans today decided they’re going to be Ground Zero for cancer research on planet Earth.”

John Sharp
Treasurer, Texans to Cure Cancer

If you’d like more details on Proposition 15, you can read the Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments published by the Texas Legislative Council.

Source: MySA.com

Tags: HJR 90; Texas Cancer Plan