Congress urged to streamline cancer efforts
Bea Karnes
Is the United States waging a war on cancer, or is red tape keeping scientists from working together and leaving thousands of patients without hope?
If you're a man, there's a 50 percent chance you'll be diagnosed with some form of cancer. For women, it's one in three.
On Thursday, scientists and patients told Congress that while more money is needed, the key to saving lives may be doing more with what we already have.
Elizabeth Edwards and Lance Armstrong both urged Congress to make sure patients have health insurance to cover life saving treatments.
Scientists developing those treatments say laws that protect patient privacy also prevent them from sharing information. "We can't cure any of the diseases we're wrestling with, with the system we've got," said Greg Simon of Faster Cures. Top cancer experts told Congress that until there's a cure, the best way to prevent cancer is to get more people screened.
Another concern is getting the best treatments into small towns. "We have the science in hand. We can develop therapies. The next step is to get them out in the field where they'll make a difference," testified Dr. Edward Benz of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Scientists are also concerned about money. The National Institute of Health's budget for cancer research is expected to drop by nine million dollars this year.
