Friends of Cancer Research Newsletter

FY 2007 NIH Appropriations Stalled in House; Senate Scheduled to Begin Work on Bill July 18

The House of Representatives has stalled in its attempt to complete work on the fiscal year (FY) 2007 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill. House Appropriations Chair Jerry Lewis (D-CA) pledged to have all FY 2007 spending bills passed by the House before the July 4th Congressional recess. However, House Democrats successfully included an amendment to the Labor-HHS bill that calls for an increase in the minimum wage (from $5.15 to $7.25 by January 2009) that has forced the House Republican leadership to reconsider bringing this bill to the floor for a vote at the present time.

The FY 2007 House Labor-HHS funding bill is $4.1 billion above President George W. Bush's Budget Proposal, but the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee chose to put the extra $4.1 billion into programs other than the National Institutes of Health (NIH). On June 20, the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill that provides $28.25 billion for NIH, a decrease of $306,000 from the current year's level. More than likely, the House will wait until after the November Congressional elections to move forward with the FY 2007 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill.

In the Senate, the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to begin consideration of its FY 2007 bill on July 18, with full Committee action expected on July 20. The Senate is working with the same $873 billion discretionary spending cap approved in the House. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee has transferred $9 billion from the Bush Administration's request for the Department of Defense to funding for domestic programs, including $5 billion for the Labor-HHS Subcommittee. Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Committee Chair Arlen Specter (R-PA) can now use this additional $5 billion to fund agencies and programs under his jurisdiction, including NIH.

If you have questions, or need more information, please contact FOCR Director of Government Affairs Jeff Coughlin at (202) 944-6643 or jcoughlin@focr.org.

FRIENDS EVENTS

AACR/AACI/FOCR Host “Cancer Research – Benefiting All Americans” Capitol Hill Day on June 28^th

Shannon Hatch and Barbara Duffy Stewart, both of AACI, contributed to this article.

Pictured above: Dr. Jeff Allen (Friends), Dr. Ellen Sigal (Friends), Jennifer K. Carlson (Ohio), Dr. Michael A. Caligiuri (Ohio), Representative Deborah Pryce (Ohio), Dr. Robert Young (PA), Barbara Duffy Stewart (AACI), and Dr. Shelton Earp (NC)

Cancer center leaders, board members, patients and researchers, representing 29 institutions from 21 states, gathered in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, June 28 to educate Members of Congress and their staffs about the need to seize current scientific opportunities to maximize progress against cancer. The day’s events, titled “Cancer Research: Benefiting All Americans,” included a breakfast briefing, luncheon and reception co-sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI), and Friends of Cancer Research (FOCR), in partnership with the House Cancer Caucus and Senate Cancer Coalition.

The attendees participated in more than 90 meetings on Capitol Hill where they had an opportunity to tell Members of Congress and staff about the remarkable advances that are being made in cancer research.

_DSC0029 During a breakfast briefing attended by 60 cancer leaders from across the country, the Honorable John Edward Porter, Chair of Research!America and former Congressman from Illinois who chaired the House Labor-HHS Education Appropriations Sub-committee, offered valuable insight into maximizing meetings and the important message participants sought to deliver. For more on Chairman Porter's address, please see our spotlight section. (Chairman Porter is pictured at left with cancer survivor Melissa Reed-Chudy).

At the mid-day luncheon briefing, Ellen Murray (pictured below), minority staff director for the Senate Labor-HHS Education Appropriations Sub-committee provided additional perspective on the budget and appropriations outlook for FY 2007. She commended the cancer community for their work on behalf of patients and pledged the continued support of Senate Labor-HHS Subcommittee Ranking Member, Senator Tom Harkin (IA) who argues that sustaining NIH funding creates opportunities that to find a cure for cancer.

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During the evening reception, AACI, AACR and FOCR welcomed honored guest Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ) (pictured left), who gave brief remarks to the group. In addition, special guests Representative Brian M. Higgins (NY), Representative Sue Kelly (NY), and Representative Bob Ney (OH) attended the reception.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill to Get Senate Vote in July

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (HR 810) is expected to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote before Congress adjourns for its August recess. The Senate will vote on a three-bill package that includes HR 810 as well as the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act (S 2754) and the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act of 2006 (S 3504). S 2754 and S 3504 are being included in the HR 810 Senate debate to allow some Senators to vote for a stem cell research bill without approving HR 810.

On Tuesday, July 11, Representative Michael Castle (R-DE) urged President George W. Bush to reconsider his promised veto of HR 810. “It would be wrong for the president to veto a piece of legislation that has the greatest potential to help millions of Americans suffering from our most horrible diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Parkinson’s and HIV/AIDS and is supported by the majority of the American people and scientists throughout the world,” said Representative Castle.

HR 810 provides for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research on lines derived after August 9, 2001, and requires ethical guidelines on stem cell lines that are eligible for federally-funded research.

The bill also states that no federal funds will be used to derive stem cells or destroy early-stage embryos. In addition, it directs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to support appropriate research on stem cell lines derived from early-stage embryos that also meet the following criteria: originally created for fertility treatment purposes and are in excess of clinical need; would otherwise be discarded; and, the individuals for whom the embryos were created have provided written consent for embryo donation.

The House of Representatives approved HR 810 by a 238 to 194 vote on Tuesday, May 24, 2005.

S 2754 would encourage research into ways to obtain stem cells with the same properties as embryonic stem cells without destroying embryos. S 3504 would make it illegal to perform research on embryos from “fetal farms,” where human embryos could be gestated in a non-human uterus or from human pregnancies created specifically for the purpose of research.

To participate in an advocacy campaign for HR810, please visit Reseach!America's advocacy action page.

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has also urged members to advocate on behalf of the bill.

If you have questions, or need more information, please contact FOCR Director of Government Affairs Jeff Coughlin at (202) 944-6643 or jcoughlin@focr.org.

HPV Vaccine Approved by FDA Last Month Receives CDC Recommendation

On June 29, 2006 CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that girls 11-12 years old routinely receive the newly licensed vaccine designed to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV). The committee also recommended that women ages 13-26 are immunized with Gardasil® as a part of a catch-up program. ACIP also noted that the vaccination series of three doses can be started as early as nine years old at the discretion of the physicians. The decision as to whether the vaccine could be required for school attendance is left to each individual state. ACIP did not include this in its recommendation but some groups have encouraged such action.

The vaccine, which received FDA approval on June 8, is manufactured by Merck and has been clinically shown to be highly effective in preventing four types of the HPV virus. These include HPV types 16 and 18, which cause approximately 70 percent of all cervical cancer cases. However, females are not protected if they have been infected with either HPV type before immunization, which indicates the importance of receiving the vaccination series prior to potential exposure to the virus.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It is estimated that there are currently more than 20 million men and women infected with HPV in the U.S. alone, with 6.2 million new infections each year. The American Cancer Society reports that there is an average of 9,710 new cases and 3,700 cervical cancer deaths annually in the United States. Worldwide there are approximately 470,000 new cases and 233,000 deaths from cervical cancer each year. This is the first vaccine with the main purpose to prevent cancer.

For more information:

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vaccine/hpv/default.htm

Friends Announces Plans for Special Benefit Celebrating 10^th Anniversary

Last month, Friends of Cancer Research announced official plans for a special benefit evening on November 15th celebrating our 10^th Anniversary. Honorees will include prominent members of Congress, the Administration, and the entertainment industry who have demonstrated steadfast leadership and support in their work for cancer research. More details will follow in the coming months. For more immediate information and sponsorship inquiries, please call (202) 944-6703.

Words of Wisdom

Insights from the Honorable John Edward Porter for the “Cancer Research: Benefiting All Americans” Day on Capitol Hill on June 28, 2006.

_DSC0011 During the breakfast briefing attended by 60 cancer research leaders from across the country, the Honorable John Edward Porter, Chair of Research!America and a former Representative from Illinois who chaired the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee—offered valuable insight about how best to craft messages to lawmakers about the promise of America's biomedical research enterprise. During his address to the briefing's audience, Chairman Porter outlined several key points which are elaborated below. Under each of Chairman Porter’s points are the some of the issues that AACR, AACI, and FOCR Hill Day participants discussed during their Capitol Hill meetings. [Full article]

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

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