U.S. SENATE: Save the Prostate Cancer Research Program Now it is time to write your U.S. Senators - TODAY! A few weeks ago I requested that you write to your member of the House of Representatives, now it is time to write to the other side of congress, the Senate. Write your U.S. Senators today [...]
Federal research funding for prostate cancer accounts for around $400 million per year. The Prostate Cancer Research Program at the Department of Defense has received about $80 million per year since 2001. Funding at the PCRP has accelerated the clinical trial process for several drugs over the past couple of years including the recently approved [...]
An AP medical writer, Mike Stobb, wrote an interesting and unusual article about a survey that was conducted asking if people would be willing to spend everything they have on aggressive treatments that might prolong their life. The survey concluded that blacks and other minorities with cancer are more likely than whites to say they [...]
The battle to make sure that Provenge is available nationally (in the United States) to all men who meet the FDA approval requirements is continuing. We have made great steps through the “noise” that the community has made to date. We have successfully reached, what I believe is, the final step in insuring that Provenge [...]
There has been some movement in the House of Representatives pertaining to the issue of future funding for the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program (DoD). The budget debate continues to slog on. We still could see an eventual governmental shut down if the members of congress are still unable to either pass a [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CME) decided to review their policies pertaining to paying for Provenge, which costs $93,000 per man. Since the hearings which were held a number of months ago, we have not heard any feedback. Despite this, most of the regions have been paying for the treatment, however there have [...]
There is some good budgetary news as it now appears that the CDMRP (the Department of Defense) programs, including the Peer Reviewed Prostate Cancer Program, are funded at the omnibus level (last year’s level). The bill has not yet passed and is still vulnerable to changes. As of today, this is how the budget looks: [...]
Of interest is a recent advanced prostate cancer survivor's post the cost of his treatments in 2010. His accompanying comments were: Often on these boards we discuss the cost of treating prostate cancer. Below you will find the summation of my 2010 medical costs. These are 100% prostate cancer related as I am otherwise healthy. [...]
Today, I spent most of the day listening to the CME (Medicare & Medicaid) hearing on Provenge. CME does not have to abide to the decisions of the advisory committee, so like we experienced with the FDA Advisory Committees we will have to wait and see what will eventually become the policy for reimbursement. I [...]
We are about to enter into a dark period in health care which is best exemplified by the roaring debate over the issue about Medicare funding for Provenge. The bottom line of the debate comes down simply to, what is the value of one human life? […]
