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National Plan to Advance Pancreatic Cancer Research Act of 2008
Bill Summary
Launch a Pancreatic Cancer Research Initiative (PCRI) to provide a national focus on finding a cure for pancreatic cancer by better targeting research, developing a cadre of committed scientists, and promoting physician and public awareness.
- The PCRI would be established by the Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services in consultation with the Directors of the NIH, NCI, and CDC as well as a new Interdisciplinary Pancreatic Cancer Coordinating Committee (the Committee) that would be made up of 9 pancreatic cancer research experts, 2 young pancreatic cancer investigators, a pancreatic cancer advocate, and the Director of the NCI.
- The Committee would develop a detailed annual strategic proposal for the conduct and support of pancreatic cancer research and awareness activities during the upcoming fiscal year.
- The report would be submitted to the Secretary and published on the HHS website and would include recommendations on: grant funding; coordination of extramural and intramural pancreatic cancer research initiatives and possible opportunities for collaboration among the NIH Institutes; recommendations for improving physician and public education about pancreatic cancer; recommendations for increasing the number of young pancreatic cancer research investigators; and guidelines for information gathered by pancreatic cancer patient registries and tissue banks.
- The Secretary would also develop an annual report to be submitted to Congress that identifies the steps taken to implement the PCRI and the Committee’s recommendations.
Cancer Research Incubator Pilot Project
There is a need to provide focused research resources on the most lethal and currently under-researched cancers and to encourage new investigators to specialize in the study of them. To meet these needs, the legislation would create a new five year grant pilot project specifically for research into the most lethal cancers. The initial phase will include pancreatic cancer and potentially other cancers that meet the criteria. Following the initial phase, the Secretary will submit a report to Congress evaluating the program and making recommendations for continuation and/or expansion into other lethal cancers.
Strengthen and Expand Centers of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer
Congress previously recognized the importance of designating funding for specific types of cancer when we called for the creation of the Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) through a special $20 million appropriation from Congress in Fiscal Year 1992. The program began with eight SPOREs: four for breast cancer, two for prostate cancer, and two for lung cancer. Many of our current answers about detecting and treating these diseases originated through the program and through the additional SPORES that were added for these cancers through the years. The first three pancreatic cancer SPOREs were added in 2003. The legislation calls for the designation of at least two additional pancreatic cancer SPOREs so that the progress that has been made in breast and prostate cancer can also be made in pancreatic cancer.
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