COA Patient Advocacy Network

News Bulletin: July 2024

Upcoming Advocacy Chats

Educational Conversations on Cancer Advocacy and Policy Issues

July 17: Health Equity and Patient Care

How, when, and where to seek treatment can depend on a patient’s location, economic status, ethnicity, and religion. Join speakers Rose Gerber, MS, COA's director of patient advocacy and education, and Richard Martin III, MD, MPH, Tennessee Oncology's medical director of health equity and community engagement. They’ll share how independent community oncology practices advance health equity with affordable, accessible care. Register now for Wednesday, July 17, at 12:00 p.m. ET.

ICYMI: Policymakers Experiencing the Patient Journey with Sit In My Chair

Sit In My Chair visits help CPAN chapters foster relationships with state and federal policymakers and advocate for the world-class cancer care independent community oncology provides. Rose Gerber, MS, and Chelsea Klock, RN, OCN, an advocacy leader at Hematology-Oncology Associates of Central New York, discussed how hosting policymakers deepens their understanding of issues that patients with cancer face.

Stream it on @OncologyCOA's YouTube channel.

CPAN Chapter Spotlight:

Zangmeister Cancer Center

Zangmeister Cancer Center provides high-quality, personalized, and convenient cancer care to the greater Columbus, Ohio, community. Recognizing the importance of independent cancer care and the advocacy needed to protect it, they formed a CPAN chapter. Their patients shared stories with lawmakers during CPAN’s Hill Day (pictured) and emphasized policies that protect independent community oncology for all.

Learn more about Zangmeister Cancer Center and other CPAN chapters protecting independent, local cancer care.

U.S. Cancer Centers Warn Drug Shortages Continue, Impacting Different Varieties of Medications

CNN 06/26

While a shortage of the chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and carboplatin has improved in the United States, some of the nation’s largest cancer centers report additional concerns related to drug shortages, a National Comprehensive Cancer Network report found. Among 28 large cancer centers across the country, 89% reported in May that at least one drug used either to treat cancer, its symptoms, or the side effects were in short supply at their center. 

The Opaque Industry Secretly Inflating Prices for Prescription Drugs

The New York Times 06/21

Americans are paying too much for prescription drugs. It is a common, longstanding complaint. And the culprits seem obvious: Drug companies. Insurers. A dysfunctional federal government. But there is another collection of powerful forces that often escape attention because they operate in the bowels of the health care system and cloak themselves in such opacity and complexity that many people don’t even realize they exist. They are called pharmacy benefit managers. And they are driving up drug costs for millions of people, employers, and the government.

Top Oncologists Say Everyone With Advanced Cancer Needs Early Palliative Care. Here are 6 Things to Know

ABC 06/20

This year, the American Society of Clinical Oncology—the world's leading oncology organization—recommended palliative care for everyone with advanced cancer at diagnosis and while receiving treatment. Oncologists said starting palliative care when a diagnosis is made may make it easier for patients to stay on their treatment course.

Spotlight on Cancer:

Helping Caregivers

When patients are diagnosed with cancer, the caring team at Central Georgia Cancer Care doesn't just focus on treating them—they support the entire caregiving network too. Discover how Central Georgia Cancer Care provides convenient, patient-centered support in this Spotlight on Cancer Care.