State Campaigns
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is currently leading four primary state campaigns and supporting five other state coalition-based efforts. In each of these states, LLS and its coalition partners are seeking legislation that would increase access to cancer clinical trials.
For patients fighting leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers, clinical trials are especially crucial. Many of the most dramatic strides in cancer treatment have been made in a clinical trial setting, chiefly among children, where 40 years ago a blood cancer diagnosis was a near death sentence. Today, however, due in part to nearly 60 percent of pediatric cancer patients participating in clinical trials, the survival rate is more than 90 percent for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of leukemia among kids. Unfortunately, adult cancer patients do not enjoy the same access or success. The participation rate among adults in clinical trials is only 3 to 5 percent nationally – a woefully small number.
Clinical trials are conducted with patients to find out whether promising treatments are safe and more effective than those already available. Cancer clinical trials help doctors and researchers find better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. Successful past trials have led to an increase in the number of cancer survivors and in those living longer, more comfortable lives.
A growing number of states have passed legislation or instituted special agreements requiring health plans to pay the cost of routine medical care you receive as a participant in a clinical trial. You can
Find Out Here if your state currently has legislation and what care the bill covers.
To learn more about LLS's primary State Campaigns, select one of the following:
To learn more about LLS's coalition-based State Campagins, select one of the following:
