A letter from Sens. Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) is circulating in the Senate now and will be sent to the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee on Friday, April 24. Contact your Senators today and ask them to sign the Johnson-Crapo Appropriations letter to increase research funding for prostate cancer at the Department of Defense.

The Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) is one of the programs in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program funded by Congress every year. The PCRP funds groundbreaking high-risk high-gain research to prevent, detect, cure prostate cancer, and improve the quality of life for individuals and families living with prostate cancer.

You can have an impact on the amount of funding for the PCRP by writing to your Senators and asking them to sign the Johnson-Crapo letter which requests $125 million for prostate cancer research at the Department of Defense in FY2010. With $125 million the PCRP will be able to fund clinical trials. These trials are a vital stepping stone in taking research and treatment from the laboratory to the bedside.

The PCRP has not been given an increase for the past eight years and it is high time that the program receives increased funding. In order to make this happen, please take a few moments and visit FundResearchNow.org to contact your Senators today!

Joel T Nowak MA, MSW