Statement from ASH President on Introduction of the Cancer Drug Parity Act
(WASHINGTON, March 8, 2017) — In response to the introduction of the Cancer Drug Parity Act (H.R. 1409) by Representatives Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and Brian Higgins (D-NY), ASH President Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, issued the following statement:
“Oral and patient-administered chemotherapies are more convenient and often better tolerated than traditional intravenous chemotherapies. Because they offer many patients an unparalleled improvement in quality of life, these therapies are becoming standard of care for many types of cancers. More importantly, many oral anti-cancer medications do not have IV or injected alternatives and are the only option for some blood cancer patients. The fact that oral and patient-administered therapies are often not covered at the same patient out-of-pocket cost by insurance providers has unfairly stratified care, forcing many patients with hematologic and other cancers to choose between their financial and physical well-being. There is no reason our patients should have to make that choice.
“The American Society of Hematology applauds the efforts of Representatives Lance and Higgins to reduce this high cost burden on patients by seeking to provide parity in coverage between oral, self-administered, and IV cancer therapies. ASH remains committed to working with leaders in Congress who support this and other legislation that removes barriers to access to care and the heavy cost burdens on patients with blood disorders.”
About the American Society of Hematology:
The American Society of Hematology (www.hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. For more than 50 years, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. ASH publishes Blood (www.bloodjournal.org), the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field, which is available weekly in print and online. In 2016, ASH launched Blood Advances (www.bloodadvances.org), an online, peer-reviewed open-access journal.
CONTACT:
Stephen Fitzmaurice, American Society of Hematology
[email protected]; 202-552-4927
