RALEIGH, N.C. – June 30, 2026 – With days left to act in the legislative session, cancer advocates urgently call on North Carolina lawmakers to pass legislation improving access to biomarker testing. The following statement can be attributed to American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) North Carolina Grassroots Manager Jon Charest:
“In recent months, we have heard from many patients and families who’ve shared remarkable stories about the impact biomarker testing had on their lives. For one of our volunteers, it altered his brain cancer treatment path in a way that quickly improved his quality of life and reduced the size of his tumor. For another volunteer, it confirmed a diagnosis of a rare disease that opened the door to lifesaving care for her toddler daughter.
“Biomarker testing is transforming the treatment of cancer and other diseases while helping to reduce healthcare costs. Twenty-four other states have passed similar legislation to align coverage of biomarker testing with the latest evidence. If North Carolina lawmakers don’t improve coverage of this critical testing, they’re saying North Carolinians don’t deserve the same access as patients in Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi.
“Time is running out. Patients can’t afford to wait. As the final days of the legislative session run down, we urge North Carolina lawmakers to remember these stories and pass legislation that will improve access to biomarker testing.”