Advocacy groups team up to offer personalized education about clinical trials for lung cancer patients

Leading patient advocacy organizations announced today that they are teaming up for the first time on an initiative to encourage patients with lung cancer to take charge of their diagnosis and learn about clinical trials, which are an important part of treatment innovation. The Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Call to Action campaign matches lung cancer patients with currently recruiting clinical trials based on their individual situations. The easy-to-use resources help patients discuss with their doctor clinical trials that may be appropriate for them.

"Lung cancer is a devastating disease and treatment decisions need to be made quickly and efficiently. The Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Call to Action campaign provides valuable information to help patients and physicians have a dialogue about all available treatment options," said Laurie Ambrose, president and chief executive officer of the Lung Cancer Alliance.

The Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Call to Action campaign was designed to ease the burden patients and their families may feel when trying to navigate the complicated landscape of researching and identifying clinical trials to discuss with their doctor. The resources available through the program include a Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Matching Service, which provides personalized education and the quick identification of clinical trial options that match each patient's diagnosis, stage and treatment history. Patients may access the service by visiting any one of the six partner organization websites (e.g., lungCANCER.org) or by calling the toll-free number (1-800-698-0931) to be matched with a compassionate and informed Clinical Trial Specialist who will guide them through the entire process.

"As a physician, my goal is to make sure that my patients get the right treatment as soon as possible, and clinical trials are one important way to accomplish that," said Dr. Joan Schiller, president of the National Lung Cancer Partnership and Deputy Director of the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. "More broadly, participation in clinical trials is crucial to the fight against lung cancer, both now and for future generations."

The unique collaboration among top lung cancer groups includes: Lung Cancer Alliance, CancerCare's lungCANCER.org, Uniting Against Lung Cancer, National Lung Cancer Partnership, LUNGevity and the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. EmergingMed is the service provider for the Lung Cancer Clinical Trials Matching Service. The effort is being supported by several major pharmaceutical companies, including Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., that are all dedicated to the fight against lung cancer.

"Boehringer Ingelheim is proud to support the Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Call to Action campaign and the patient advocacy organizations involved in this unique collaboration," said J. Martin Carroll, Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation president and chief executive officer. "For patients living with lung cancer today, this campaign provides access to clinical trial information. For the lung cancer community as a whole, it contributes to the development of new, critically needed treatments."

In addition to Boehringer Ingelheim, the following sponsors have provided support for the Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Call to Action campaign and matching service: Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Genentech BioOncology, and Pfizer Oncology.