Feinstein Introduces Comprehensive Cancer Legislation
March 8, 2002 - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)
Feb. 28 introduced legislation to create what she describes
as "a new comprehensive national battle plan to modernize
and re-energize the nation's war on cancer." The National
Cancer Act of 2002 (S.
1976), which is cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 29
other senators, would update the National Cancer Act of 1971.
The bill would:
- Authorize increased funding for the National Cancer Institute
through FY 2007.
- Provide $100 million a year for 5 years in grants and
other incentives for translational cancer research.
- Authorize a loan repayment program for health professionals
who spend at least 3 years doing cancer research and increase
postdoctoral salaries over 5 years beyond the current salary
level of $28,000.
- Provide tax and marketing incentives to encourage pharmaceutical
companies to produce "orphan drugs," or drugs
targeted to small patient populations.
- Require meaningful regulation of the content of tobacco
products by the FDA and their marketing to children.
- Require all insurers to pay for cancer screenings, smoking
cessation, nutritional counseling, and genetic testing (among
people with demonstrated risk).
- Provide $250 million for the Center for Disease Control's
Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program for low-income
women.
- Provide $50 million to create a demonstration program
to expand the CDC's program to include screening for colorectal
cancer.
Information:
Dave Moore, Senior Associate Vice President
AAMC Government Relations
dbmoore@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
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