Press Room

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Six leading public health and medical organizations today urged the U.S.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) today released a report examining the most common patient barriers to cancer clinical trial enrollment. Made public at ACS CAN’s annual national policy forum, the report found only about one in four (27%) patients has access to clinical trials where they are being treated. Yet, if asked to enroll in an available trial, more than half of eligible patients typically agree to do so.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) held a hearing on the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018.

A report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) provided an updated snapshot of states’ Medicaid coverage for tobacco cessation.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final Medicare rule yesterday that did not include a proposal that would have set hard limits on opioid pain medication at the pharmacy unless an insurer authorized special permission for a larger dose.

Seven public health and medical groups, and several individual pediatricians, filed suit today in federal court in Maryland challenging a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision that allows electronic cigarettes and cigars – including candy-flavored products that appeal to kids – to stay on the market for years without being reviewed by the agency.

The U.S. Senate passed the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access and Research (STAR) Act. The bipartisan bill would advance pediatric cancer research and increase transparency and expertise for pediatric cancer research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed an FY 18 federal budget, which includes; a $3 billion increase for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the largest such funding increase in 15 years; and a $275 million increase for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). 

The House of Representatives tonight passed legislation that would change the process for accessing experimental drugs without including necessary patient safeguards. The Right-to-Try legislation was opposed by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) along with more than 80 other organizations representing millions of patients.

Twenty organizations representing millions of patients and consumers across the country sent a letter to the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury urging the administration to address patient concerns before finalizing troubling rules that as currently drafted would undermine access to affordable, comprehensive health coverage.