This evening, the President gave his annual address to Congress and called for a freeze in domestic spending while at the same time calling for innovation and acknowledging the importance of biomedical research.

“As someone who is committed to winning the fight against cancer, I was pleased to hear the President talk about the importance of innovation. However, it is counterproductive to proclaim that ‘this is our generation’s Sputnik moment’ while calling for a spending freeze for domestic programs.

Now is not the time for across the board cuts to domestic spending. If we are going to find a cure for cancer in our lifetimes, we need a sustained investment in proven research programs – programs that encourage innovation and ensure discoveries make it from bench to bedside as quickly as possible.

On behalf of the thousands of Americans who will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year and on behalf of the millions of Americans living with colorectal cancer I urge the President and Congress to renew the fight against cancer with smart and sustained investments in biomedical research that will not only save thousands of lives but encourage innovation and help stimulate the economy by creating much-needed jobs.”

- Carlea Bauman, President of the Colorectal Cancer Coalition

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The U.S. sticker price for cancer care by 2020 will likely increase at least 27% over the next decade, to a minimum $158 billion yearly by 2020, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Colorectal cancer ranks 2^nd behind breast cancer in 2010 total costs of care by cancer type, and will remain one of the top 5 most costly cancers in 2020.

Projections of the Cost of Cancer Care in the United States: 2010–2020

Those are just two of many facts in an important paper published in the Jan. 19 Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The predicted costs are much higher than previous estimates because the authors used the most current cost data (2006 Medicare) which, for the first time, includes costs of expensive targeted treatments.

The study is powerful because it analyzed different scenarios and assumptions, and broke down costs of three stages of care (initial and final years, and middle years of continuing care) for each type of cancer. Read the rest of this entry »

Today, Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), announced the appointment of the following 15 individuals to the Methodology Committee of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

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We are very pleased to announce that U.S. Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) will be joining us on our February Grassroots Advocate Chat to talk about what the House Energy and Commerce Committee will be working on this year. Register today to talk with Rep. Burgess.

WHAT: Grassroots Advocate Chat
DATE: Wednesday, February 16
TIME: 8:00PM (eastern)
WHERE: Sign up at http://link.fightcrc.org/chatregistration to get the call-in details

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This evening, the House of Representatives paid tribute to outgoing House Appropriations Chairman David Obey. The spontaneous tribute from his fellow appropriators was made during debate on the last appropriations bill Chairman Obey will oversee.

The bill passed the Senate earlier in the day, and House passage by a vote of 193-165 sends the measure to the President for his review and signature.

The short-term continuing resolution funds the federal government through March 4, 2011. It funds most programs including the Department of Defense cancer research programs, the National Institutes of Health cancer research programs, and the cancer control programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at fiscal year 2010 levels. Read the rest of this entry »