Growing concerns about patient privacy rights have led the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to tighten controls on cancer data collected at their hospitals. While privacy advocates are applauding the move, leaders in the scientific community are worried about the impact the new measures will have on cancer research.
Until recently, VA hospitals [...]

Thanks to earlier detection and better treatments, millions of people can now call themselves cancer survivors. But once the strict regimen of blood tests, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery is over and the patient leaves the cancer center, what do they need to do to keep that precious title?
The stark reality is that many survivors [...]

Cancer patients living in rural areas around the world often experience significant challenges when trying to obtain treatment for their disease. Two Australian groups are now working together to try to make things a little easier for patients in their country.
The Clinical Oncological Society of Australia and Cancer Council Australia are [...]

The American Cancer Society established a goal to cut cancer death rates by 50 percent between 1990 and 2015, but they found one big obstacle kept getting in their way: too many patients with little or no health insurance.
So the nation’s wealthiest health charity (in both donations and volunteers) decided to modify their strategy. [...]

Governor Bill Richardson has directed the New Mexico Department of Health to continue plans for a state-run medical marijuana program despite worries that his actions could lead to federal prosecutions for drug trafficking.
New Mexico’s state laws allow the use of medical marijuana by patients who are undergoing treatment for chronic conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, [...]

Senate and House members remain divided about federal funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, otherwise known as S-CHIP.
Here’s a cross-section of some of the coverage:
NEWS: ABC; CBS; FOX; MSNBC
GOVERNMENT: The White House; Senate Finance Committee
EDITORIALS: The Boston Globe; The Heritage Foundation
INDUSTRY/PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS: Insurance News Net; American Medical Association
BLOGS: Consumer Healthcare; Working For Change
You’re encouraged [...]

Lance Armstrong recently joined Chris Matthews on MSNBC Hardball to discuss the upcoming LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum.
Armstrong and Matthews will co-moderate the August event where commander-in-chief hopefuls will be asked how they plan to tackle the difficult issue of healthcare reform and, more specifically, cancer program funding, if elected.
The bipartisan forum is [...]