Features
NCI Advisory Groups |
Scientists, medical experts, and advocates work together to help shape NCI's policies and programs through a number of standing and ad hoc advisory groups. Advisory groups provide seasoned assessment of progress and problems in the Nation's effort to reduce the burden of cancer.
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The Advocate Role in Cancer Research |
Cancer advocates may be cancer survivors, family members or life partners, or people involved in cancer-related activities, such as support group leaders or hotline workers. They come from diverse age groups, races, ethnicities, educational levels, and geographic locations. Cancer advocates are intimately familiar with the hopes, struggles, joys, losses, and successes of cancer patients, those at risk for cancer, and their loved ones. Their advocacy helps present the human face of cancer to scientists, administrators, and the general public, reminding us of the "why" in cancer research. NCI draws upon the expertise of cancer advocates through two major vehicles. The Director's Consumer Liaison Group (DCLG) is made up of 15 cancer advocates, each representing a unique constituency in the advocacy community. DCLG members advise the Director of NCI on a wide variety of issues, programs, and research priorities. NCI also solicits the advice of patients and their family members through the recently created Consumer Advocates in Research and Related Activities (CARRA) program. Through this program, approximately 200 individuals serve as resources to participate in a wide range of NCI activities. For example, they sit on advisory boards of basic and clinical researchers to help assess research needs for specific cancers, provide advice on the design of clinical trials, and review educational materials. |
Cancer Research Fosters Medical Advances for Other Diseases |
With the stewardship of our resources in recent years, NCI is fostering numerous efforts with results important not just for cancer but for a number of diseases.
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