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Washington 1999/12/16 -"As the nation's leading voluntary health agency and advocate for the cancer community, the American Cancer Society applauds today's announcement by leading health insurers to provide coverage for cancer clinical trials," said Harmon Eyre, M.D., chief medical officer for the Society. "This effort, while limited in its scope, is an important first step towards a national policy that would guarantee routine patient care coverage for patients involved in clinical trials."
Dr. Eyre's comments came in response to the decision by a coalition of leading health insurers to provide coverage for clinical trials in New Jersey.
"Clinical trials often provide cancer patients with a critical opportunity to receive state-of-the-art cancer treatments. These therapies are often their best and most appropriate treatment option and their only chance at survival or an improved quality of life. We encourage health care insurers to take a closer look at providing all of their policyholders with coverage for patient care costs associated with clinical trials, and we urge other national health insurers to follow their example.
"Couple this decision with yesterday's report from the Institute of Medicine suggesting Medicare should cover expenses for all major disease clinical trials, and we believe there is new hope for many people affected by catastrophic illnesses.
"Access to clinical trials is crucial for all patients regardless of disease or coverage. The American Cancer Society is very pleased with the timing of both of these announcements."
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.
Unice B. Lieberman
Director, Advocacy Communications
American Cancer Society
202-661-5710
Unice.Lieberman@cancer.org
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