WASHINGTON-- At the White House today, U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller joined Vice President Al Gore to announce a historic, two-pronged initiative to step up the nation's battle against cancer.  Gore announced that President Clinton would propose a $4.7 billion increase in funding for cancer research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and would support Rockefeller's initiative to expand Medicare to cover clinical cancer trials for its recipients.

"Today's proposal will have a profound impact on the lives of thousands and thousands of cancer patients and their families," Rockefeller said.  "My view has always been that every cancer patient should have access to the best treatment available.  Unfortunately, as we all know, that's not always the case.  But the proposal announced today will help elderly cancer patients get access to some of the most effective clinical trials in the world.  That's important progress."

More than 40 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetimes, and more than 20 percent will die from it.  Medicare beneficiaries account for more than 50 percent of cancer cases, and for 60 percent of the half-million Americans who die of cancer each year.  Scientists have made important strides toward fighting many cancers, but a long road still lies ahead.  Today's announced $4.7 billion increase for cancer research at NIH _ a 65% increase over the next five years _ boosts the potential of improving early detection methods, speeding the discovery of new cancer drugs and treatments, dramatically increasing adult participation in clinical trials, and providing all cancer patients and their care givers with easy access to the latest information on treating their diseases.

 Last year, Rockefeller and Senator Connie Mack (R-Fla.) teamed up to introduce the "Medicare Cancer Clinical Trials Coverage Act of 1997," upon which the Clinton Administration is basing its own clinical trials proposal.  That legislation would plan would direct Medicare to cover the patient costs associated with NIH-sponsored cancer clinical trials, ensuring beneficiaries have access to cutting-edge treatments.   

 "We've won a great many battles, but we can't stop until we win the war," Gore said.  "That is why, even as we are balancing the budget and making tough cuts across the board, we must invest more in the war against cancer.  We must give America's families new hope for a healthy future."

"Fighting cancer is tough enough.  Treatment should be determined by what gives the patient the best shot at beating the disease, not what Medicare may or may not cover," Rockefeller said.  "This proposal will allow our scientists to conduct groundbreaking research, and it will help elderly cancer patients benefit from the high-quality medical treatments that result from that research."