ASCO in Action

ASCO in Action provides the latest news and analysis related to critical policy issues affecting the cancer community, updates on the Association for Clinical Oncology’s ongoing advocacy efforts, and opportunities for members and others in the cancer care community to take action.

To sign up for advocacy alerts, log in to ASCO.org with your member or guest account, and visit the subscription center available under your account profile.

October 4, 2023

A new report in JCO Oncology Practice outlines progress made towards reducing cancer disparities among sexual and gender minorities and achieving equity across patient education and support, workforce development and diversity, quality improvement, policy, and research since the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2017 position statement. The report also highlights current efforts and future directions for continued progress to achieve equity.

October 3, 2023

The ASCO Oncology Summer Internship program, which just wrapped its third year, is an immersive internship that takes rising second-year medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine (UIM) and introduces them to the field of oncology. ASCO spoke to four of this year’s OSI participants, who each shared their experiences, including the personal reasons they were motivated to pursue oncology.

October 2, 2023

Congress has passed a continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the government through November 17, 2023, temporarily avoiding a shutdown and giving lawmakers more time to negotiate critical funding decisions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. 

September 27, 2023

On September 26, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved bosutinib (Bosulif, Pfizer) for pediatric patients 1 year of age and older with chronic phase (CP) Ph+ chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) that is newly diagnosed (ND) or resistant or intolerant (R/I) to prior therapy. The FDA also approved a new capsule dosage form available in strengths of 50 mg and 100 mg.

September 26, 2023

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of that observance, the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) joined with 25 stakeholders for a series of advocacy activities in Washington, D.C., during the week of September 18.

During meetings with lawmakers on September 20, ASCO and the Alliance for Childhood Cancer urged Congress to:

September 26, 2023

The American Society of Clinical Oncology is seeking input from our members about Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine. If you are a medical oncologist or hematologist and/or are board certified in either specialty, please check your inbox for an email from us with a link to our MOC Experience Questionnaire.

September 14, 2023

On September 14, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated labeling for temozolomide (Temodar, Merck) under Project Renewal, an Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) initiative aimed at updating labeling information for older oncology drugs to ensure information is clinically meaningful and scientifically up-to-date. This is the second drug to receive a labeling update under this pilot program. The first drug that received approval under Project Renewal was capecitabine (Xeloda). 

September 14, 2023

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing today on several bills aimed at addressing the ongoing U.S. drug shortage crisis. Many of the bills contain provisions the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) supports as effective means to mitigate and prevent drug shortages and promote a more resilient supply chain in the future. 

September 12, 2023

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.

September 12, 2023

In letters to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Association for Clinical Oncology commented on provisions that impact cancer care for Medicare beneficiaries in the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program proposed rule, as well as in the 2024 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposal.

September 12, 2023

After a fast-paced first half of the year, most state legislatures across the 50 states and Washington, D.C. have adjourned for the year. The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and State Affiliates successfully collaborated to advance many shared 2023 state advocacy priorities, including those highlighted here. 

September 12, 2023

ASCO President Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, and CEO Clifford A. Hudis, MD participated in the President's Cancer Panel on September 7, 2023.

September 11, 2023

Now that Congress is back in session, the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is urging lawmakers to continue their bipartisan support for federal cancer research in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. This funding is vital for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other agencies in their work to advance science.

September 11, 2023

At the recently concluded Korean Society of Medical Oncology Annual Meeting, which took place September 7-8 in Seoul, ASCO signed a memorandum of understanding with the Society, its first with an organization in Korea.

September 5, 2023

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will join the President’s Cancer Panel on Sept. 7 to highlight the numerous ways ASCO is working to advance the National Cancer Plan and achieve the president’s Cancer Moonshot goal of “ending cancer as we know it.”

Pages