ACS CAN Encouraged by Balanced Approach in Proposed Opioid Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) held a hearing on the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018.
National Press Releases
New Report Shows Most States Can Do More to Provide Comprehensive Tobacco Cessation Coverage through Medicaid
A report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) provided an updated snapshot of states’ Medicaid coverage for tobacco cessation.
CMS Heeds Patient Concerns and Removes Proposed Barrier to Pain Care in Final Medicare Rule
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final Medicare rule yesterday that did not include a proposal that would have set hard limits on opioid pain medication at the pharmacy unless an insurer authorized special permission for a larger dose.
Health Groups File Suit to Expedite FDA Review of E-Cigarettes, Cigars
https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/24952/012318ecigaretteConclusionsbyEvidence.pdfSeven public health and medical groups, and several individual pediatricians, filed suit today in federal court in Maryland challenging a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision that allows electronic cigarettes and cigars – including candy-flavored products that appeal to kids – to stay on the market for years without being reviewed by the agency.
Childhood Cancer Research Bill Passes Senate
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).
FY 18 Budget Prioritizes Medical Research and Cancer Prevention
The U.S. House of Representatives today passed an FY 18 federal budget, which includes; a $3 billion increase for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the largest such funding increase in 15 years; and a $275 million increase for the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
House Approves Right-To-Try Legislation Despite Serious Patient Safety Concerns
The House of Representatives tonight passed legislation that would change the process for accessing experimental drugs without including necessary patient safeguards. The Right-to-Try legislation was opposed by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) along with more than 80 other organizations representing millions of patients.
Letter: Administration Action Should Not Undermine Access to Affordable, Comprehensive Health Coverage
Twenty organizations representing millions of patients and consumers across the country sent a letter to the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury urging the administration to address patient concerns before finalizing troubling rules that as currently drafted would undermine access to affordable, comprehensive health coverage.
FDA Commissioner Announces Plan to Assess Role of Flavoring in Tobacco Initiation, Use and Cessation
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb today announced an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) aimed at assessing the role of flavoring in tobacco initiation, use and cessation.
FDA Commissioner’s Move to Curb Cigarette Smoking Through Reduced Nicotine Levels Would Have Dramatic Impact on Public Health
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb today announced an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) aimed at reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes to levels that no longer cause or sustain addiction.