Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act (S 332/HR 745)

The Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act was first introduced to Congress on January 28, 2009.  According to www.govtrack.us, the act hoped to accomplish the following things:

• Amend the Public Health Service Act to require that the Secretary of Health and Human Services establish and implement a Pancreatic Cancer Initiative that would address the high mortality rate associated with pancreatic cancer.
• Require the Secretary to establish the Interdisciplinary Pancreatic Cancer Coordinating Committee that would:
1.  provide advice on overall research objectives and benchmarks; 
2. develop and annually update a strategic plan for pancreatic cancer awareness;
3. conduct evaluations and make recommendations to the Secretary, the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) regarding the prioritization and award of NIH research grants relating to pancreatic cancer.
• Require that the Secretary develop a primary care provider education program about pancreatic cancer.
• Require that a communication tool kit be developed for patients and their families that focuses on specific pancreatic cancer issues relating to patient choices and care by the Director of NIH and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Allow grants to be awarded by the Secretary to research institutions for use in developing innovative compounds or technologies for the prevention, early detection, or treatment of those cancers with five-year survival rates of less than 50%.
• Require that pancreatic cancer is the Secretary's focus during the initial five fiscal years of awarding such grants.
• Allow that two additional Specialized Programs of Research Excellence focusing solely on pancreatic cancer be designated by the Secretary.

This Act didn't make it very far, and I think that is a terribly tragic thing.  I don't think I understand what it is Congress needs to hear before they decide that this disease is something they really need to push back against.   But some are fighting hard, as this Act is being reintroduced to Congress.  It may pass, and it may not, but I am sure of one thing:  Those who believe in fighting against this disease are going to push back against Congress, and I think Congress should be scared.