NIH Update

With the election now over and the GOP retaining control of the House and Senate, there is much speculation that many of the FY05 appropriations bills that have yet to be finalized and sent to the President for signature, including Labor-HHS, will be taken up when Congress reconvenes for a "lame duck" session.

Prior to the elections, the House had passed a Labor-HHS-Education appropriations package that included $28.5 billion for NIH while the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a Labor-HHS-Education bill that included $28.9 billion for the NIH. The Senate failed to take action on the measure. In fact, nine out of the 13 appropriation bills still need to be completed by Congress and signed into law.

The conventional wisdom is that Congress will combine all unresolved appropriations bills into an omnibus bill for consideration in the lame duck session. If Congress fails to enact an omnibus bill, the continuing resolution will keep funding at FY2004 levels until the matter is resolved. This will be the third year in succession that Congress has failed to pass HHS-Labor-Education appropriations on schedule.

Stem Cell Update/Proposition 71

After months of national attention and political debate, California’s stem cell initiative, Proposition 71 was approved by roughly 60% of California's voters on Tuesday, November 7th.  The initiative had a large number of endorsements including a recent one from Governor Schwarzenegger.   The initiative authorizes tax-free state bonds that will provide an average of $295 million per year over ten years to support stem cell research at California’s universities, medical schools and research facilities.  Governor Schwarzenegger said in a press release on October 18^th, that, "I am, of course, a supporter of stem cell research.  Research that we do now holds the promise of cures for tomorrow.  California has always been a pioneer.  We daringly led the way for the high-tech industry and now voters can help ensure we lead the way for the bio-tech industry.  "

In picture above, "Actor Brad Pitt expresses his endorsement of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)," (AP Press, yeson71.com)

For more on Proposition 71, please visit http://yeson71.com

FRIENDS ACTIVITIES

 C-Change briefing

On October 18th, representatives from Friends of Cancer Research attended an educational briefing on the hill hosted by C-Change entitled “Advanced Imaging Technology and Image-guided Cancer Therapy.”   Speakers included three leaders in the field from the National Cancer Institute: C. Norman Coleman, M.D., Peter Choyke, M.D., and Maura Ferrari, Ph.D .  The event concluded with a powerful speech from a patient who has benefited from these new technologies. The presenters stressed the use of magnetic resonance techniques, nuclear medicine-based biological imaging, including PET scanning, and nanotechnology-based radiation therapy as key components in the revolution of imaging for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.  The briefing  primarily targeted congressional staffers and  was co-sponsored by numerous organizations including Friends of Cancer Research.

 AACI public service Award

Friends’ Chairperson, Ellen Sigal, received the 2004 Association of American Cancer Institute’s Public Service Award at their recent annual meeting on October 25, 2004.  Dr. Sigal was selected for the honor in recognition of her “exceptional commitment to expediting the progress of cancer research in the United States,” through her, “tireless leadership in mobilizing public support for cancer research funding and stewardship of major education programs on key cancer related policy issues.” Also honored at the event were Dr. Stuart L. Schreiber of Harvard and Dr. Edwin A. Mirand of Roswell Park Cancer Institute.