Senate Reiterates Calls Lung Research a National Priority

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Senate Reiterates Calls for Making Lung Cancer Research a National Priority

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Late in session last

night, the U.S. Senate unanimously reconfirmed its commitment to making

lung cancer research a national public health priority.

Laurie Fenton-Ambrose, president of the Lung Cancer Alliance, thanked

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) for their

leadership on the resolution which reinforces the one they shepherded

through the Senate last year.

"This year they were joined as co-sponsors by Senator Diane Feinstein

(D- CA) and Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), who are both co-chairs of the

Senate Cancer Caucus, and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

"We are deeply grateful to all of them for getting this resolution

passed and for their strong support of the goals of the Lung Cancer

Alliance to reverse decades of stigma, neglect and under funding of lung

cancer research," said Fenton-Ambrose.

The resolution calls on President Bush to declare lung cancer a public

health priority and to order health agencies to develop a comprehensive,

coordinated program to cut lung cancer mortality in half by 2015.

Specifically cited as areas for action include increased funding for

translational research and specialized lung cancer research centers, more

action on early detection, expedited development of chemoprevention and

targeted drug therapies for lung cancer and screening pilot programs under

Medicare.

Last year, during the previous Congress, a similar resolution was

introduced in the House of Representatives but failed to pass.

A companion House resolution was introduced on April 24, 2007 by

Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA), Congressman Ed Whitfield (D-KY) and

Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen (D-VI).

They have been joined as co-sponsors by Congressman Virgil H. Goode

Jr., Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Congressman Jim McDermott

(D-WA), Congressman Michael R. McNulty (D-NY), Congressman James P. Moran

(D-VA). Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH), Congresswoman Betty Sutton (D-OH) and

Congresswoman Lynn C. Woolsey (D-CA).

"We are hopeful that the House will act soon," said Fenton-Ambrose.

"Slowly but surely we are building a strong coalition of House and Senate

members who are deeply committed to making lung cancer research, early

detection and mortality reduction a national priority."

"It's been long overdue," she said, "but we are getting there."

The Lung Cancer Alliance (http://www.LungCancerAlliance.org) is the

only national non-profit organization solely dedicated to patient support

and advocacy for people living with, or at risk for, lung cancer. As the

number one cancer killer, lung cancer will kill more than 160,000 Americans

this year alone, causing more deaths than breast, prostate, colon, liver,

kidney cancers and melanoma combined.