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Senate Committee Preserves FDA Authority Over Tobacco Products, Boosts Funding for Oncology Center of Excellence

May 24, 2018

Washington, D.C.  – The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved its FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The bill preserves the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authority over tobacco products and also boosts funding for FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) by $5 million. The OCE was created by the 21st Century Cures Act and works ensure that the patient perspective is considered in the regulatory decision-making process through a patient-focused drug development program.  It also creates a unified and collaborative scientific environment to quickly advance the development of innovative and effective oncology products for cancer patients.

A statement from Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows:

“We commend the Senate committee for preserving FDA’s ability to protect the public health by allowing the agency to adequately regulate all tobacco products, including products that have come to market since the passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009.

“Additionally, ACS CAN was pleased to see the committee boost funding for FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence in the upcoming fiscal year.

“We applaud the committee for adopting a clean bill and rejecting proposals that were attached to the House version of this bill that would undercut FDA’s oversight authority of tobacco products. We call on lawmakers to adopt the Senate spending bill when it comes up for consideration before the full Congress later this year.”

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