On March 26, U.S. Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Kay Bailey Hutchison introduced the 21st Century Cancer Access to Life-Saving Early detection, Research and Treatment (ALERT) Act, a comprehensive bill to address the broad issues that the nation faces in combating cancer. Since the National Cancer Act of 1971, this has been the first sweeping cancer legislation to be introduced.

The legislation specifically notes that myeloma and seven other lethal cancers have a five-year survival rate of less than 50 percent. In order to reduce this rate, the bill gives more patients access to clinical trials and establishes a grant program to conduct research on cancers with low survival rates.

The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) supports this bipartisan bill. "Many of our patients are living proof of what innovative drug development and clinical research can achieve...But these achievements are not a substitute for a cure, so we welcome and support this legislation,” said Susie Novis, president and co-founder of the IMF.

The Cancer ALERT Act also supports the development of biomarker technology. Biomarkers in a patient’s body can alert a physician to the possible signs of developing cancer, leading to early detection and treatment of the disease.

“Cancer today is no longer the automatic death sentence that it was when the war began,” said Senator Kennedy. “I’m confident that swift action on national health reform will make our vision of a healthier nation a reality.”

For more information, see the Press Release from Senator Edward M. Kennedy and visit the IMF Web Site.