PHEN will host the fourth annual ?African American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit? on September 25th and 26th, 2008. The success and impact of our annual summits on Capitol Hill are well recognized, and has led to this year?s Summit being held in conjunction with the US Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Weekend in Washington, D.C.



The theme of our 2008 Summit is ?Reaching Men Where They Are?? in their homes, at work, fraternities, and places of worships. To help realize this objective, PHEN recently introduced PHENTV.com as part of our ?Rally Against Prostate Cancer.? This unique online educational television programming, inspired from sessions at our previous three summits, is the basis for exciting new initiatives for ?Reaching Men Where They Are? that will be unveiled at our upcoming Summit.



Program Agenda Overview Of Major Sessions;



Session I: PHEN Rally Against Prostate Cancer



This session will provide An overview of activities and accomplishments and outline current plans and strategies for the PHEN ?Rally Against Prostate Cancer? initiatives - focused on reaching men where they are with education and awareness information. The initiatives are;



►PHEN TV

►The Student Outreach Initiative

►Community Television Programming

►Survivor Network



Session II: Legislative Initiatives & Needs



This session will summarize the status of existing legislative initiatives in the US Congress and related advocacy efforts. Certain state prostate cancer initiatives will also be highlighted. Additionally, this session will examine and outline needs that may exist for new legislation. Legislation to be reviewed will include that which is outlined here and other;



►H. Res. 288 ? Designating prostate cancer as an epidemic among African American men

►H. Res. 353 - Imaging Legislation

►DOD Research Funding

►State Initiatives



Session III: New Treatments, Clinical Trials and Access



This session will focus on the status of evolving immunotherapy treatments that offer the promise of more effective treatment outcomes without many of the debilitating side effects common with existing treatments. Breakthroughs and FDA approval for these treatments hold the highest level of interest among prostate cancer survivors. The importance for higher clinical trial participation among African American men for these and other classes of new treatments, and strategies for insuring access to these new treatments will also be a focus of this session.



Session IV: The Prostate Cancer Crisis ? An Action Blueprint For The New Administration



The devastating African American prostate cancer disparity, a lower level of funding for research relative to breast cancer, confusion over screening guidelines, impediments to approval of new treatments and other issues have led to a prostate cancer crisis in the U.S. This session will use a ?Town Hall Meeting? format to focus on outlining an action blueprint for the incoming administration for addressing this crisis. This blueprint will be presented with the intent of establishing prostate cancer as a higher priority, with the level of leadership that the leading cause of cancer among men deserves.