News
AACI Congressional Briefing: Breaking Down Barriers to a Cure
AACI will host a briefing targeted toward new members of Congress and staff at 9:00 am on Wednesday, March 27. "Breaking Down Barriers to a Cure" will examine financial and structural barriers to cancer research and treatment, focusing on cancer-related legislation and breakthroughs in CAR T-cell therapy.
At a time when the government is divided on many issues, cancer-related legislation has garnered wide bipartisan support and co-sponsorship. Ross Frommer, JD, vice president and associate dean at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center Office of Government and Community Affairs, will address legislation that can be introduced and passed quickly, such as the Patient Access to Cellular Transplant Act. Mr. Frommer will also stress the continued importance of stable and predictable funding for the NIH and the NCI.
AACI CAR T steering committee member Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, FRCOG, FACOG will serve as another panelist, providing Congressional staff with background on the rapidly advancing field of CAR T immunotherapy. Dr. Odunsi is deputy director, chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, executive director of the Center for Immunotherapy, and co-leader of the Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy research program at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The briefing will be moderated by AACI President Roy A. Jensen, MD, director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Patient advocates will also be on hand to discuss their experiences with treatment. Members and staffers are invited to participate in a Q&A following the briefing, which will be held in room 2043 of the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill.
The widely-attended briefing will include breakfast and we encourage any interested AACI members to attend. To RSVP for the briefing, please contact Jaren Love, AACI government relations manager, at 412-647-2076 by Monday, March 25.