The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper. We welcome supporting or opposing views on any published item. Received October 25, 2022.
Cancer Votes is a nationwide effort to educate the public and candidates about the actions lawmakers should take to make fighting cancer a national policy priority. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is working across the country to encourage major candidates for federal and state office to state their positions on public policies that help people with cancer, or who are at risk of cancer, to prevent and fight the disease.
Being a fourteen-year cancer survivor, these issues are personal for me. I know that my early detection, effective treatment, and survival are due to the research that preceded my diagnosis.
What you may not realize is that much of our research depends on results from clinical trials. Sadly, at least half of these fail before they get started, due to lack of participation. The major barriers are associated with the cost to participate—co-pays and deductibles, child care, transportation, needing time off from work, or a certain technology needed in the home. There is currently a bill in Congress that would address these.
We are asking candidates Dick Blumenthal, Joe Courtney, Mike France and Leora Levy if they will support legislation to ensure more patients—regardless of their race, ethnicity, economic means, or their geographic location—have a chance to enroll in clinical trials.
If you want to become involved with us in this work, please visit cancervotes.org to learn more.
Donna Rogers, Higganum
