Public Policy Resources

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Prevention and Early Detection

ACS CAN advocates for public policies that can prevent nearly half of all cancer deaths by ensuring access to recommended cancer screenings, protecting the public from skin cancer risk, reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke and supporting people in increasing physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and managing their weight.

Prevention and Early Detection Resources:

Protecting Access to Preventive Care: The Role of Federal Guidelines in Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Coverage

June 8, 2026

Access to lifesaving preventive services, including cancer screening, relies on federal preventive care recommendations and guidelines that determine which screenings, tests, and services health insurance plans must cover without cost sharing, including who is eligible, the age at which services

CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) Saves Lives

May 18, 2026

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges Congress to increase funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) cancer programs to at least $482.9 million in Fiscal Year 2027.

The Value of Cancer Registries to Public Health

May 18, 2026

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) calls on Congress to fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Program for Cancer Registries (NPCR) at $63.4 million in FY 2027. Established by Congress in 1992, the National Program for Cancer Registries suppo

ACS CAN, Coalition Partners Call on Interview Magazine to End Tobacco Imagery in its Content

May 15, 2026

In a letter to Interview magazine Editor and Chief Mel Ottenberg, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), alongside the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Truth Initiative, and Vital Strategies, expressed strong dis

ACS CAN, Coalition Partners Call on Vanity Fair to Stop Glamorizing Tobacco on Its Pages

May 15, 2026

In a letter to Vanity Fair Global Editorial Director Mark Guiducci, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), alongside the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Truth Initiative, and Vital Strategies, expressed strong disappoint

CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Saves Lives

May 14, 2026

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) calls on Congress to fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) at $230 million in FY 2027 and to pass the Screening for Communities to Receive Early

CDC's Colorectal Cancer Control Program Saves Lives

May 14, 2026

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) calls on Congress to fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) lifesaving Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) at $51 million in FY 2027.

Investment in Tobacco Control Programs

May 14, 2026

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) calls on Congress to support a sustained funding level of $310 million in Fiscal Year 2027 for fact based tobacco prevention and cessation programs and ensure the funding is used as Congress intended.

Increasing Access to FDA‑Approved Cessation Medications Through Pharmacist‑Provided Care

May 12, 2026

Pharmacists are playing an increasingly important public health role, in part due to the widespread presence of pharmacies in communities, with nearly 89% of people in the U.S.

Tobacco Control Resources:

Comprehensive Tobacco Retailer Licensing Laws are Effective at Reducing Tobacco Use

December 16, 2024

Comprehensive tobacco retailer licensing laws can reduce the harmful impact of the tobacco retail environment by regulating where and how tobacco retailers can operate and sell tobacco products as well as providing the licensing entity the authority to ensure tobacco retailers are complying with all applicable tobacco control laws.

History of the Racketeering Lawsuit Against the Tobacco Industry: Guilty of Deceiving the American Public

November 8, 2024

In 1999, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against major tobacco manufacturers Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Lorillard, and Altria to hold the industry accountable for more than 50 years of conspiring to defraud the public in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Big Tobacco, an industry which has for decades knowingly addicted and endangered the lives of millions of Americans for their own profit, must now post the truth about their deadly products, including at the point-of-sale (POS) for approximately 220,000 tobacco retailers.

ACS CAN & Federal Tobacco Litigation - An Overview

October 25, 2024

The tobacco industry has a history of using litigation to avoid and delay laws and regulations enacted to safeguard the public. ACS CAN, with our tobacco control partners, has also relied on the courts to hold Big Tobacco accountable and to ensure the federal government is effectively implementing the Tobacco Control Act.

The Tobacco Industry is Not the Public Health Solution

February 9, 2023

Big tobacco has a history of prioritizing corporate profits over people and communities burdened by tobacco-related illness and death. For decades, the tobacco industry has lied to specific communities and the public at large saying their products are not addictive, harmful or deadly. Tobacco manufacturers continue to create and flood the market with newly designed products they market as being less harmful and alternatives to quitting – a tactic that is not new.

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Screening Resources:

Just the Facts: Breast Cancer Disparities

May 1, 2025

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the U.S. Although there has been substantial progress in reducing breast cancer mortality in the US over the past several decades, there are persistent disparities, especially among Black women. Additionally, breast cancer incidence is increasing, with the steepest trends among young women under 50. In 2025, an estimated 316,950 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer with an additional 59,080 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in women, and 42,680 will die from the disease. 

ACS CAN Supports the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025

April 21, 2025

ACS CAN supports the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025 to accelerate progress in reducing mortality from lung cancer. 

Just the Facts: Cervical Cancer Disparities

February 21, 2024

In 2024, an estimated 13,820 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer, and 4,360 will die from the disease. Cervical cancer can affect any person with a cervix and most often is caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Persistent HPV infection causes almost all cervical cancers but fortunately there is a safe and effective vaccine against HPV.

Survivor Views: Majority Less Likely to Get Recommended Screenings if Coverage is Lost

May 11, 2023

Our latest survey finds that cancer patients and survivors would be less likely to stay current with preventive care, including recommended cancer screenings, if the provision requiring these services be covered at no cost were repealed. This survey also explores the challenges of limited provider networks and the need for patient navigation.

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Healthy Eating and Active Living Resources:

Food is Medicine Initiatives to Address Cancer & Chronic Diseases

March 10, 2026

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) supports policies and funding that increase access to “Food is Medicine” (or food as medicine) initiatives and interventions intended to prevent, treat, or manage chronic diseases and often address food and nutrition insecurity.