PHEN Joins Leading Prostate Cancer Organizations In Developing Agenda
LEADING US-BASED PROSTATE CANCER ORGANIZATIONS
DEVELOP JOINT POLICY AGENDA
Washington, DC -- The prostate cancer education and advocacy community has come together to collaborate on and develop a shared agenda in the interests of the hundreds of thousands of American men who are at risk for a diagnosis of prostate cancer every year.
The leadership from eight leading prostate cancer organizations met on April 2, in Washington, DC, to explore how to effectively work together on specific policy initiatives to advocate for early detection and appropriate treatment of clinically significant prostate cancer, particularly among those men at high risk for this disease leading to the deaths of over 28,000 American men every year.
First, the eight organizations reached consensus that:
● We will continue to work with other cancer groups in support of increased federal funding for cancer research through the annual appropriations process to support the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, and the Centers for Disease Control
● We will continue to call upon Congress to increase funding for the Prostate Cancer Research Program at the Department of Defense
Second, the eight organizations will work closely together in support of four specific initiatives:
● Passage of a Bill to create an Office of Men?s Health within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); this Office will mirror the fine work of the Office on Women?s Health
● Passage of a Congressional resolution that there is a prostate cancer epidemic among the African American community, and that appropriate research and educational initiatives are needed to combat this epidemic
● Passage of the Thomas J. Manton Early Detection and Treatment Act, which is focused on the provision of funds to support the early detection and appropriate treatment of clinically significant prostate cancer in underprivileged and underserved communities
● Elimination of ?least costly alternative? (LCA) policies for Medicare beneficiaries
Finally, the eight organizations agreed to work closely with other relevant cancer and consumer organizations to ensure that healthcare reform includes provisions for the early detection and appropriate treatment of clinically significant prostate cancer across all sectors.
The statement above has been approved by the following eight prostate cancer organizations:
**Malecare Prostate Cancer Support
**Men?s Health Network
**National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions
**Prostate Cancer International
**Prostate Health Education Network
**Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network