National Coalition for Cancer Research
About NCCR
NCCR is a nonprofit organization comprised of 26 national organizations dedicated to the eradication of cancer through a vigorous public and privately supported research effort.
News and Items of Interest
Late-breaking NIH, NCI, and FDA news
February 1, 2010 - Our National Coalition for Cancer Research chief lobbyist, Mark H. Smith of Liberty Partners Group in Washington, D.C., has reviewed the President's Fiscal Year 2011 Budget and provides the following breakdown (more details to come): National Institutes of Health- $32.09 billion (an increase of 3.2%) National Cancer Institute - $5.264 billion (an increase of 3.16%) National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities - $219 million (an increase of 3.5%) Food and Drug Administration - $2.513 billion (an increase of 3.5%) – Note: this does not include FDA User Fee income
Letters supported by ICAN
Click here to view NCCR's letter dated January 15, 2010 in support of maintaining the clinical trials coverage provision in the final health reform legislation currently under negotiations. The letter has been submitted to Speaker Pelosi, Leader Reid and the White House Office of Health Reform.
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December 7, 2009
The Honorable Sherrod Brown
United States Senate
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senate
455 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Brown and Senator Hutchison:
The National Coalition for Cancer Research (NCCR) strongly supports your bipartisan Amendment to H.R 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to require all health insurance products cover the routine patient costs associated with participation in high-quality clinical trials. We are gratified that your Amendment also applies this important coverage for beneficiaries of the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program.
For many individuals with cancer, and others struggling with life-threatening illnesses, standard therapy may not be beneficial; the best therapies are often available only through participation in a clinical trial. Unfortunately, access to cutting-edge treatment through clinical trials is often denied as many insurance companies refuse to cover the "routine patient-care" costs on the grounds that the care is "experimental."
Although trial sponsors – either industry or the government – must assume the responsibility for the research costs of a trial, including data collection and analysis, as well as providing the experimental agent free of charge, patients still depend on their insurance plans to cover the cost of services such as hospital stays, diagnostics or support services – considered "routine care" – while enrolled in the trial.
The tremendous advances in the treatment of cancer have been made largely because therapies have been tested in clinical trials and found to be significant improvements over standard therapy. This clinical research process is a lifeline for those with life-threatening illnesses, and the failure of private and public insurers to cover the costs of routine patient care not only denies patients of the best care available, but it also threatens the clinical trials system as a whole.
On the state level, a number of laws have been passed that address the issue of clinical trials in varying and inconsistent ways. Since 1994, 27 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws requiring insurance coverage for “routine patient care” costs in clinical trials, and another four have established cooperative agreements with insurers. This has created a patchwork of coverage that varies depending upon the residence of the patient. However, the vast majority of insured American workers are covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which necessitates federal legislation to assure patient access to clinical trials.
The Amendment which you have sponsored will address this urgent shortfall in our nation’s healthcare delivery system. We commend your bipartisan efforts to ensure that routine patient care costs associated with clinical trials will be covered by health plans and FEHBP, and we strongly encourage all Senators to cosponsor and support this important amendment.
American Association for Cancer Research
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American College of Radiology
American Society for Radiation Oncology
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Hematology
Association of American Cancer Institutes
Gateway for Cancer Research
Canelelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation
Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups
CureSearch Childhood Cancer Foundation
Friends of Cancer Research
International Cancer Advocacy Network
International Myeloma Foundation
Kidney Cancer Association
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
The Lustgarten Foundation
Oncology Nursing Society
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Prevent Cancer Foundation
Prostate Cancer Foundation
Society of Gynecologic Oncologists
SNM - Society of Nuclear Medicine
V Foundation for Cancer Research
Click here to view the amendment.