A collection of recently published news items.

  • In updated guidelines for smoking cessation for adults, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concluded that there isn't enough evidence to determine whether electronic cigarettes are a safe or effective method to help smokers kick the habit (Ann Intern Med 2015 September 22 [Epub ahead of print]). The USPSTF recommends that clinicians point patients to cessation methods that have proven effective, such as nicotine replacement therapy.

  • More than 300 scientists, health professionals, and patient advocates participated in the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day in September, converging on Capitol Hill for meetings with members of congress and their staff to urge the U.S. Congress to support robust, sustained, and predictable funding increases for the NIH in 2016 and beyond. Advocates pushed to boost the agency's budget by 7% over 2015.

  • In a report on the United Kingdom's (UK) Cancer Drugs Fund, the country's National Audit Office (NAO) said that nearly £1 billion (about $1.52 billion) has been spent on drugs not covered by the National Health Service for 74,000 patients since the fund was established in 2010 (available at www.nao.org.uk). However, the NAO noted, due to poor recordkeeping, no one knows whether the drugs paid for by the fund led to improvements in patient survival compared with standard care.

  • According to a national survey of 1,000 American voters conducted on behalf of the American Association for Cancer Research, 74% favor increasing federal funding for cancer research, and five out of every six voters recognize that progress is being made against cancer (available at www.aacr.org).

  • The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America reported that U.S. biopharmaceutical companies are developing 836 cancer medicines and vaccines, all of which are in clinical trials or awaiting FDA review (see www.phrma.org). That number includes 123 drugs for lung cancer, 106 for leukemias, and 82 for breast cancer.

For more news on cancer research, visit Cancer Discovery online at http://CDnews.aacrjournals.org.

©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.
2015