NY Senators co-sponsors bill to establish comprehensive program for lung cancer

Today, Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) hailed the support of Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) who have signed on as co-sponsors of a bill to establish the first ever multi-agency, comprehensive program targeted at lung cancer.

Entitled Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2009, S.332 authorizes a five year program to reduce the mortality rate of lung cancer which continues to be the number one cause of cancer deaths both nationally and in New York State. Lung cancer causes more deaths each year than breast, prostate, colon, kidney, melanoma and liver cancers combined.

"Lung cancer affects millions of men and women everyday and we must do everything we can to fund ways to combat this deadly disease," said Senator Schumer. "I am proud to sign onto this legislation to help promote earlier detection and better disease management to improve cancer survival rates in New York State and across the country."

In thanking the senators for their support, LCA President & CEO Laurie Fenton Ambrose, said, "New York State has been at the forefront of health care and public health initiatives and the Senators' commitment to improving outcomes for the lung cancer community sets an example for others to follow."

The bill requires the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Defense and Veterans Affairs to combine forces on a comprehensive, coordinated plan of action with funding authorized for five years to accomplish the mortality reduction goal.

"Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer among men and women. Anything that can be done to increase the parity in funding for this deadly disease will be a significant advance in reducing cancer morbidity and mortality. This legislation is a strong step in the right direction."

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is required to review its funding priorities in order to meet the lung cancer mortality reduction goal and more national institutes are called on directly to take part, including the National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Institute for Environmental Health

To insure accountability, the bill requires an annual report to Congress and creates an oversight board composed of the three Cabinet Secretaries and representatives from the fields of lung cancer treatment, research and advocacy.

In addition, the bill directs the Secretaries of Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans' Affairs (VA) to implement an early detection and disease management program for military personnel who are at high risk for lung cancer because of smoking or exposure to carcinogens during active duty.

The bill also:

• Authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create a new Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction drug program with incentives for new treatments, targeted therapies, vaccines and chemoprevention drugs for precancerous conditions.
• Requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out an early disease research program targeted at the high incidence and mortality rates among minority and low-income populations.

The bill includes specific authorizations of $75,000,000 for certain NIH agencies in FY10 and authorizes such additional sums as may be necessary for all the cited agencies to accomplish the goal for FY 2010 through FY2014.