ACS CAN held its 14th annual public policy conference on May 14th, 2025, providing a forum for leaders in industry, government, patient advocacy, and technology to examine current barriers to cancer screening and early detection. The event featured discussions on new innovations on the horizon, and the public policy solutions that are necessary to break down coverage and payment barriers to improve access and affordability.
- Welcome & Keynote Introduction • Lisa A. Lacasse, MBA, President, ACS CAN • Kimberly L. Jeffries Leonard, PhD, Chair of the Board, ACS CAN
- Keynote • Stan Lapidus, Chairman, Mercy BioAnalytics
- Where We Are Now The first panel of the day examined the current state of play of delivery and uptake of cancer screening. This panel looked at trends in screening including, disparities, why we are seeing these trends, and data challenges to understanding screening delivery and update.
- Patient Voice: Russell Wright
- Moderator: Carmen Guerra, MD, MSCE, FACP, Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement, Abramson Cancer Center, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
- Where We Are Now: Panelists & Discussion • Priti Bandi, PhD, Scientific Director, Cancer Risk Factors & Screening Surveillance Research, American Cancer Society • Durado Brooks, MD, MPH, Associate CMO, Exact Sciences •Chyke Doubeni, MD, MPH, Chief Health Equity Officer, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center • Philipp Graner, PhD, Senior Director, Theranostics Solutions NAM, Molecular Imaging – Siemens Healthineers
- What's New? Innovations & New Approaches New and innovative modalities for cancer screening, early detection, and interventions to increase screening uptake are on the horizon. The second panel highlighted some of these new and innovative screening and early detection interventions and discuss how to get these new technologies to people.
- Patient Voice: Kathy Ottele
- Moderator: Rodney Gillespie, MBA, US Head of Oncology, Novartis
- Innovations & New Approaches: Panelists & Discussion • Courtney Bugler, President & CEO, ZERO Prostate Cancer • Tracie Lewis, MS, Operations Director, Colorectal Cancer Prevention Network, University of South Carolina • Dawn Mattoon, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Mercy BioAnalytics • Sarah C. Nosal, MD, FAAFP, President-Elect, American Academy of Family Physicians
- Luncheon Conversation: The Rise of Cancer Among Young People. An informal conversation on the rise of cancer among younger adults, what is know about it, and what we can do to support these patients. • Ramona Burress, MBA, PharmD, Chief Development Officer, Onyx Health Collective • Arif Kamal, MD, MBA, MHS, Chief Patient Officer, American Cancer Society
- Getting Rid of Barriers: Better Payment Pathways. This panel provided perspectives on the current barriers to coverage of cancer screenings and early detection modalities and interventions. Panelists discussed the importance of identifying payment and cost barriers and eliminating roadblocks to improve patient access and encourage more investment in new screening and early detection modalities and interventions.
- Patient Voice: Andi Hasley
- Moderator: Kristin Olson, JD, Senior Director, Policy & Public Affairs Oncology, Pfizer
- Getting Rid of Barriers: Panelists & Discussion • Molly Gutherie, Vice President, Policy & Advocacy, Susan G. Komen Foundation • Jennifer Higgins, Senior Vice President, Global Public Affairs, Guardant Health • James Mathews, PhD, Principal, Health Policy Alternatives • Erin Polak, Vice President, Government Affairs and Alliance Development, GRAIL
- Closing Remarks • Lisa A. Lacasse, MBA, President, ACS CAN