Public Policy Resources

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing is a component of precision medicine that involves examining a patient’s inherited genes to detect variations that may impact the way a drug is broken down, absorbed and used within the body. 

As part of his renewed Cancer Moonshot initiative, President Biden has set the goal of reducing cancer deaths by 50% by 2050. ACS and ACS CAN are committed to helping achieve that goal by tackling cancer at every angle.

ACS CAN submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the Diversity Plans To Improve Enrollment of Participants From Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Populations in Clinical Trials Draft Guidance for Industry. 

The user fee program has provided critical resources for FDA to review drug and device applications, as well as to develop regulatory science and policy.

In response to the Biden Administration's request for information regarding actions being taken toward the achievement the Cancer Moonshot goals, ACS and ACS CAN submitted a list of major initiatives and activites the organizations are pursuing. 

The Office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) was established by the Department of Defense (DOD) and is currently a collection of 36 programs that target research funding to specific diseases including cancer. 

ACS CAN conducted a survey of 315 oncology providers examining common barriers providers face in performing recommended cancer biomarker testing.

ACS CAN and more than 150 organizations representing patients, providers and health equity advocates sent a letter to Congress urging them to pass the Diversifying Investigations Via Equitable Research Studies for Everyone (DIVERSE) Trials Act into law to remove barriers to clinical trial enrollment.

The DIVERSE Trials Act (H.R. 5030/S. 2706) could increase racial, socioeconomic and geographic diversity in clinical trials and make it easier for all cancer patients to participate.