WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the RACE for Children Act became law, ensuring that novel and exciting new cancer drugs will now be developed not only for adults, but also for children with cancer.

Nancy Goodman, CEO of Kids v Cancer stated, "One of the greatest challenges of pediatric cancer research has been a lack of access to novel and exciting drugs. Although cancer research has undergone some quantum leaps in the past years, the new and exciting treatments for adults with cancer rarely translate into new treatments for children. As a result, kids with cancer get outdated treatments that are often forty years old."

"Cancer is the #1 disease killer of children in the United States. Each year, 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, and even the survivors face the risk of shortened lives, permanent disabilities, and serious chronic diseases as a result of their cancer and treatment."

"The RACE for Children Act will bring new drugs to children with cancer by modifying the Pediatric Research Equity Act and requiring that every novel drug developed for an adult cancer be considered for development for children when the molecular target of the drug is relevant to a pediatric cancer."  

"In addition, the RACE for Children Act will result in tens of millions of new research dollars flowing into pediatric cancer clinical research as drug companies undertake these new pediatric studies."

"The RACE for Children Act authorizes the FDA to require companies developing cancer drugs to also develop their drugs for children if the molecular target of the drugs under development are relevant to a pediatric cancer. "(See www.kidsvcancer.org/race-for-children-act)

The RACE for Children Act is Title V of the FDA Reauthorization Act, which was passed by Congress and signed by President Trump, is now law.

"Kids v Cancer began championing the RACE for Children Act in 2013 as a grassroots effort of 250 medical research institutions and pediatric cancer advocacy groups to bring the most exciting new cancer drugs to children with cancer. "

Kids v Cancer is a nonprofit dedicated to changing the landscape of pediatric cancer researcher. Nancy Goodman founded Kids v Cancer when her 10 year old son, Jacob, died of a pediatric brain cancer after receiving treatments that were 40 years old. (See www.kidsvcancer.org).

SOURCE Kids v Cancer

Related Links

http://www.kidsvcancer.org