The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is continuing to work advocating for solutions to the cancer drug shortage crisis. ASCO responded to a Request for Information from House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo, and subsequently provided feedback on a discussion draft of potential legislation addressing drug shortages. The Association’s comments noted the meaningful progress toward addressing the root causes of drug shortages and offered specific feedback on proposals.

The Senate Appropriations Committee on July 27 passed the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies FY 2024 spending bill, which includes $47.8 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $7.38 billion for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and $1.5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency on Health (ARPA-H).

A statement from Everett E. Vokes, MD, FASCO, Chair of the Board, Association for Clinical Oncology, follows:

ASCO is continuing to collaborate with State Affiliates and outside stakeholders to raise awareness and facilitate implementation of the CLINICAL TREATMENT Act, which requires all states and territories to cover and reimburse routine costs of care for treating a Medicaid enrollee who is participating in a qualifying clinical trial. 

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has issued a statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court decision on affirmative action.

Today the U.S. House is poised to vote on legislation to raise the nation’s debt ceiling. The proposal includes flat funding for non-defense discretionary spending in FY 2024 and a 1% funding increase in FY 2025. This would considerably restrict potential resources for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) at a time when scientists are on the cusp of so many promising cancer discoveries. 

Members of the Association for Clinical Oncology converged on Capitol Hill on May 2 for the 2023 ASCO Advocacy Summit where they met face-to-face with lawmakers to discuss critical issues in cancer care and research. The summit was part of a broader Week of Action where advocates from across the country were encouraged to send nearly a thousand letters to Members of Congress through the ACT Network urging them to act on key policy priorities.

The Association for Clinical Oncology, and nearly 120 other national physician specialty societies and state medical associations, commend a bipartisan group of physician members of Congress who recently introduced the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 2474) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would allow Medicare physicians to receive inflationary reimbursement updates, based on the Medicare Economic Index, similar to those other health care providers receive.