Chairman Moran Introduces Legislation to Permanently Authorize and Expand Precision Oncology Program for Veterans with Prostate Cancer
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – introduced legislation to permanently authorize and expand the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of the Prostate (POPCaP).
The Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of the Prostate (POPCaP) Authorization Act will strengthen VA’s current precision oncology program by creating seven additional centers of excellence at VA medical centers that will focus on prostate cancer care and establish a performance review process to maintain accountability and high performance.
“There must be adequate research, resources, and outreach available to veterans battling cancer,” said Sen. Moran. “This bill will make certain that veterans with prostate cancer in rural America receive the same cutting-edge therapies as a veteran living next to a major urban research hospital and have all the support they need, and deserve, to recover.”
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among veterans, and veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as their civilian counterparts. There are currently 21 POPCaP/Genitourinary Centers of Excellence within VA that provide advanced prostate cancer care, genetic testing, and clinical trials.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
“The POPCaP Authorization Act represents a pivotal moment in the fight against prostate cancer. Our veterans face disproportionate risk due to service-related exposures, and African American veterans bear an unconscionable burden with twice the diagnosis rate and twice the mortality,” said Courtney Bugler, President and CEO, ZERO Prostate Cancer. “We commend Senator Moran for his leadership on this critical legislation. The VA's integrated healthcare system offers an unparalleled opportunity to advance precision oncology research while delivering quality care to those who've served our nation. Congress must now move swiftly to pass this bill and ensure its funding. Our veterans have earned this investment, and the breakthroughs generated through POPCaP will benefit all American men facing this disease.”
"Prostate cancer continues to be the most common cancer among Veterans, making access to cutting-edge, personalized care critically important,” said Mark Edney, MD, MBA, Chair of the American Urological Association Public Policy Council. “The VA's Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of the Prostate (POPCaP) improves care for those with prostate cancer by using precision medicine to tailor individualized treatments. Our Veterans deserve dedicated programs that help them access the highest quality cancer care there is, and that's why this program needs protection. The American Urological Association (AUA) is proud to support this legislation."
This legislation is also supported by the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
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