2005-2006

Recent scientific advancements, such as the unraveling of the human genome and subsequent characterization of specific genetic changes associated with cancers, are bringing us closer to discovering more effective preventive agents, improved diagnostic tools for early detection, and targeted therapies that are less toxic and more effective.   

Despite this enormous potential, the development of new cancer drugs has been slow due to the complex biology of individual cancers and the financial/technical difficulties involved in generating new agents.  Advancements in the areas of chemoprevention and early detection face even greater challenges and impediments than many cutting edge treatment options.  FOCR believes that this is due, in large part, to a lack of understanding about the disease process on the part of the public and lay government officials in addition to the scientific, medical, and financial difficulties involved in producing primary and secondary preventive agents.

Friends of Cancer Research has initiated an ongoing educational initiative that will generate awareness in 2005 and 2006 about the substantial barriers to research advancements in cancer prevention and early detection, in addition to recommendations for reducing and eliminating these barriers.  The primary vehicle for this effort to date has been a series of symposia designed to discuss and develop a suite of priority steps that could accelerate discoveries in the fields of cancer prevention and early detection.  The first of these meetings was held in Washington D.C. on July 13^th of 2003 and was co-sponsored by the House Cancer Caucus and the Senate Cancer Coalition of the U.S. Congress.  The second event was held in Tampa, Florida on February 17^th and was conducted in partnership with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center.

These activities are designed to educate regulatory and formulary decision makers, the media, and the public about steps that can be taken in terms of federal resources, new agency programs, and policy innovations to result in more efficient translation of scientific discovery to actual therapies in areas such as chemoprevention. 

For these types of activities, we typically involve the participation of key representatives from the U.S. Congress, the National Cancer Institute, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, cancer patient/survivors, and academia.  As an inter-related component of our scheduled events/activities, FOCR has an ongoing relationship with experts in cutting edge scientific fields who help us to insure the credibility and timeliness of the material covered in our planned activities.     

The ultimate goal if this educational initiative is to generate a powerful set of ideas for overcoming barriers to cancer prevention and early detection that can be used by a variety of stakeholders to generate awareness among key decision makers about the need for regulatory reforms that make prevention research more feasible for clinical trial sponsors.  A major focus also will be on how we, as a society, can usher in a new paradigm of effective diagnostics for early detection.