Proposed cancer legislation could be big game-changer - Houston Business Journal:

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And nearly 40 years after the U.S. declared war on he says federal lawmakers have introducexd legislation that could finally expedite improve access to treatment and significantly enhancdeSan Antonio's role in battling the vicious It's been "some war," Curiel says, explaining that with a numbedr of cancers, the outcomesd are not much better now than they were a half-century ago. But Senatorz Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Edwarcd M. Kennedy, D-Mass., have introduced legislation, Senatr Bill 717, that supporters believe will provide researchers with more ammo tofight cancer, while modernizing and advancing the country' national cancer program.
Supporters of the 21st Centuryy CancerALERT (Access to Life-saving Earluy detection, Research and Treatment) Act say it represents an importany effort to re-assess the national cance r program and to improve cancerd research, prevention, detection, control and treatment in the U.S. The was founded in 1907 and is one ofthe world'sa largest and oldest professional organizations dedicated to advanciny cancer research.
AACR officials say the proposec legislation aims to expand and acceleratew the searchfor cures, more effectivew treatments and better preventivew measures, while addressing the ongoint needs of the nearly 12 million Americans currently battling the "We look forward to working closelh with Senators Kennedy and Hutchison to refine this legislation and advance it quicklyt through Congress for the benefit of cancerd patients and their families," says AARC President Dr. Ray also executive vice presidenr of thein Houston.
"Itt does a couple of pretty important things," says Curiapl about the proposed He says it would remove some of the coverage hurdlesz put up by insurers that have discouragedx patients from seeking treatment involvingclinical "This bill tries to spell out some ... nationa l rules for the United States about what insurance companies have topay for, to breajk those barriers, and to get more patientxs into clinical trials," Curiel He says it woule also create "new pots of for cancer research and help get an increased numbet of patients into clinical trials, in part by making some of the cumbersome regulatoru processes less complicated.
"Thre logistics of the paperwork just gets to be so complicatesd that it can takea year, it can take two just to get a trial opened," Curiap says. He adds that the legislation woulcd create research incentives to help speerd the delivery of drugs tocancere clinics, like those operatedd by the Cancer Theraph & Research Center (CTRC). "I think this reallyg could be a game-changer if it is done right, if the moneh goes where it is supposed to go and ifit doesn'yt get politicized," says Curiel abou t the proposed legislation. There are some gray areas within the bill thatconcermn Curiel.
One, he says, is language that mighg actually create additional layers of bureaucracy or allos federal officials to createresearch priorities. But he says the bill is an importanrt step in theright direction. Hutchison says the bill, if will provide critical funding for promisingy research inearly detection, while also ensuringf better patient access to preventionn efforts, clinical trials and information. Curiep says the legislation is "timely and And he believes that there is enouguh political will to move the bill forwardbecausre "nobody can walk away from this.
" The introductiomn of this bill comes as officials with CTRC and the prepare to make a run at new state cancer dollars.