U.S. House of Representatives' Armed Services Committee And Appropriations Committee Provide Unprecedented Endorsement For The Development Of Reliable Diagnostic Tools For Prostate Cancer

Historic Victory in U.S. Congress is Scored as Legislation Includes Support for Research Funding to Advance Prostate Imaging Technologies

BOSTON, May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Boston-based AdMeTech Foundation announces today an historic victory in the U.S. Congress for its public awareness and advocacy campaign "Where is Our Manogram?"  Both the House Armed Services Committee and House Appropriations Committee showed support for this campaign through legislative language aimed at increasing the prioritization of prostate imaging research within the Department of Defense medical research programs.

The House Armed Services Committee Report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2013 (H.R. 4310) recognized  that "in spite of the magnitude of the prostate cancer epidemic in the military and civilian populations, men do not have reliable diagnostic tools for guiding early detection and treatment which is critical for saving lives, improving quality of life and reducing health care costs."  The House approved H.R. 4310 on Friday by a 299-120 margin, sending the measure to the Senate.  Echoing the historic decision by the Armed Services Committee, the House Appropriations Committee in its own Report accompanying the Fiscal Year 2013 DOD Appropriations bill, encouraged the Secretary of Defense "to fund research for the advancement of prostate imaging technologies" by the peer-review-based Prostate Cancer Research Program (within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program).

House Republicans and Democrats stood together to support improved prostate cancer diagnosis, and requested this legislative language on behalf of the AdMeTech Foundation-led campaign and its many stakeholders from around the nation. Among champions of either the Armed Services Committee or Appropriations Committee legislation were Rob Andrews (D-NJ), Todd Akin (R-MO), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Walter Jones (R-NC), Dan Burton (R-IN), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Steve Lynch (D-MA), Mike Capuano (D-MA), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Del. Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands), and Ed Towns (D-NY).  

"AdMeTech is pleased to spearhead this effort, and is grateful to the many members of the U.S. House of Representatives, House Armed Services and Appropriations Committees for this unprecedented response," stated AdMeTech's President, Dr. Faina Shtern.  "The prostate cancer crisis is a direct result of unreliable diagnostic tools.  The extent of unnecessary and failed medical procedures is staggering.  An American man dies every 16 minutes.  With the increased national investment in research, improved diagnostic tools will become available to men within three to five years," she added. 

Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, State Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, as well as key legislators, and leaders of medicine and advocacy will address AdMeTech's Prostate Cancer Awareness Day at the Massachusetts State House on June 28.  This annual event is creating a Massachusetts model of national leadership in recognizing the prostate cancer crisis and the need to improve diagnostic tools as a public health priority. 

Prostate cancer – striking one in six men – is the most common major cancer in the United States.  African American men have 60% higher incidence and 250% higher mortality.  Prostate cancer has become more common than even breast cancer.  However, public awareness and government investment in research are lagging behind, and men do not have accurate diagnostics akin to life-saving mammography.  While curable when detected early, prostate cancer is the second most lethal cancer in men.

ABOUT AdMeTech Foundation:
AdMeTech is a nonprofit organization providing international leadership in the design and implementation of groundbreaking programs in research, education, awareness and advocacy dedicated to the advancement of diagnostic tools for early detection and treatment of prostate cancer.  AdMeTech established the public awareness campaign "Where is Our Manogram?" in 2005.  AdMeTech has been hosting an Annual Massachusetts State House Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, with recognition from the Governor, Massachusetts General Court and Boston City Council since 2009.

SOURCE AdMeTech Foundation