May, 2008
ArchivesPresident Bush Signs GINA into Law
C3 would like to thank President Bush for signing into law the Genetic Non-Discrimination Information Act (GINA) today. This monumental legislation will protect Americans from discrimination based on an individual’s genetic information in health insurance coverage and employment settings.
“This is a tremendous victory for every American not born with perfect genes – which means it’s a victory for every single one us,” said Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY). “Since all of us are predisposed to at least a few genetic-based disorders, we are all potential victims of genetic discrimination.”
Posted by Joe Arite on May 21st, 2008
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Congress, Discrimination, Genetics, GINA, Insurance, President Bush
FOBT Screening Reduces Colorectal Cancer Deaths
Approximately 1 in 6 deaths from colorectal cancer could be avoided with fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) according to an updated review by the Cochrane Collaboration.
Based on four randomized trials involving 320,000 people, there was a 16 percent reduction in deaths from colorectal cancer among people who were part of an FOBT colorectal cancer screening program. Not all of those patients actually completed screening, however. Among those who did, there were 25 percent fewer deaths. Continue reading…
Posted by Kate Murphy on May 19th, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Black Rectal Cancer Patients Less Likely to Receive Recommended Treatment
Despite being referred to specialists at the same rate as whites, African Americans with rectal cancer receive chemotherapy and radiation treatment after surgery less often.
Studying SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) and Medicare data from 1992 through 1999, researchers found no significant difference in the percentage of patients who were referred to either medical or radiation oncologists. There were fewer referred to both specialists — 49 percent of blacks saw both a radiation and medical oncologist compared to 59 percent of whites. Continue reading…
Posted by Kate Murphy on May 18th, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: adjuvant rectal cancer treatment, disparities
ACT NOW – Senate to Vote on Increased Funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The Senate Committee on Appropriations is scheduled to take up the FY 2008 supplemental appropriations bill this Thursday afternoon, May 15th. The committee intends to include $400 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in this spending package. If successful, the committee would provide the National Cancer Institute with up to an additional $65 million on top of the $4.8 billion already appropriated in FY 2008. The inclusion of these funds in a supplemental funding bill is extremely rare and illustrates the strength of support that cancer research has in Congress.
The funds for NIH are being added as part of a larger spending package for key domestic priorities. The full Senate is expected to consider the bill sometime the week of May 19th. Because the President is opposed to the domestic spending, it is likely that the bill will be challenged by his supporters in the Senate requiring a 60 vote majority to pass the Senate.
I have provided a list of 15 Senators whose votes will be critical to increase funding for NIH. These Senators should be asked to support the domestic spending package and the NIH funding within it.
Posted by Joe Arite on May 14th, 2008
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »
Tags: Congress, NIH
House of Representatives’ Oversight Subcommittee Addresses Direct to Consumer Advertisements
The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight convened a hearing May 8th to address Direct to Consumer (DTC) drug advertising by Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer and Merck Schering-Plough. C3 first raised questions in summer 2007 about Procrit® DTC advertising that ran from 1998 to 2005. Procrit is an anemia drug sold by Ortho Biotech, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson.
Posted by Joe Arite on May 14th, 2008
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Congress, DTC, FDA, Johnson and Johnson, Procrit
