107th Congress

Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2002

H.R. 4963

Background

According to congressional findings, there are more than 9 million individuals in the United States who are cancer survivors. In fiscal year (FY) 2001, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invested $38 million in survivorship issues.

Recognizing the large number of individuals now surviving cancer for long periods of time, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) established the Office of Cancer Survivorship (OCS) in 1996. The OCS 1) supports and promotes research that examines and addresses the long- and short-term effects of cancer and its treatment, 2) provides information to cancer patients, their families, healthcare providers, advocates, and the research community, 3) conducts meetings with researchers, health professionals, advocacy groups, and the public to build common research agendas and ensure dissemination of research findings, and 4) conducts an annual analysis of the NIH/U.S. Department of Defense grants pertaining to cancer survivorship.

Provisions of the Legislation/Impact on NIH

Section 3 of H.R. 4963, the Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2002, would have amended NCI's cancer control program statute to include cancer survivorship.

Section 4 would have added a new section to NCI's statute to require the Director of NIH to expand and coordinate the Agency's activities with respect to cancer survivorship research. It would have also required the Director of NIH to establish an Office of Survivorship within NCI. By February 1, 2002, the Office of Survivorship would have been required to submit a report to Congress that provided a description of the survivorship activities of the Office and strategies for future activities. The percentage that NCI would have been required to spend on cancer control would have been increased from 10 percent to 13 percent, of which not less than 3 percent would have been for the Office of Survivorship.

Section 5 would have required the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to expand comprehensive cancer programs and programs to improve cancer survivorship. This would have included the expansion of current cancer surveillance systems, assessment of challenges associated with cancer survivorship, and development of a national cancer survivorship action plan. These activities would have been coordinated among the appropriate Public Health Service agencies. The Secretary of HHS would have been required to submit a report no later than October 1, 2003, describing the results of the evaluation under subsection (a) and, as applicable, the strategies developed under this subsection. Section 5 would have authorized $75 million for FY 2003 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the FYs 2004 through 2006.

Section 6 of the bill would have required the Secretary of HHS, through CDC and in consultation with NCI, to award grants to eligible entities for the purpose of enabling such entities to monitor and evaluate quality cancer care, develop information concerning quality cancer care, and monitor cancer survivorship. Such sums as may be necessary would have been authorized for FYs 2003 through 2007.

Status and Outlook

H.R. 4963 was introduced by Representative Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) on June 19, 2002, and referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. There was no further action on this legislation during the 107th Congress.