Washington, D.C.—Tonight 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). Additionally, the legislation expands research into the long-term side effects of childhood cancer and its treatments.
A statement from Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), follows:
“We are excited by the Senate’s action in support of a bill that will improve research, treatment and outcomes of children with cancer. Unfortunately, far too many childhood cancers have no effective treatments and remain incurable.
“Today’s passage sets the stage to move the STAR Act from a promising proposal to an essential law that will help expedite potential new treatments for pediatric cancer. We urge the House to quickly take up and pass the STAR Act.”