Today, a group of cancer survivors and advocates that make up the Texas Cancer Survivors Coalition (TCSC) are calling on Texas State Legislators and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to advance legislation that supports Texas cancer survivors and their networks.
“We are at a critical juncture in the 87th Legislative Session: bills that could make a powerful and positive impact on Texans living with cancer will likely fail unless Legislators and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick act now,” said Mike Thompson, a founding member of TCSC and a 4-time cancer survivor.
“The past year has been difficult for so many Texans, especially cancer survivors who were met with interrupted care or faced chronic and unnecessary pain,” said Thompson. “There is still time left for lawmakers and the Lt. Governor to do the right thing and move the bills cancer survivors care most about forward into law.”
The following bills are endorsed by the Texas Cancer Survivors Coalition and require immediate action by the Senate in order to pass:
HB 1535: Expanding the Compassionate Use Program
Status: Passed the House, Awaiting Referral to Senate Committee
Filed by Rep. Stephanie Klick, HB 1535 expands the list of medical conditions and patients that qualify for low-THC medical cannabis to include all stages of cancer, as well as acute or chronic pain for which physicians would otherwise prescribe opioids. This legislation also grants access to low-THC medical cannabis for patients with medical conditions approved for research programs that the patients are receiving treatment under, and allows access to patients with debilitating medical conditions designated by the Department of State Health Services.
HB 2185 / SB 1820: Truth in Medicine
Status: Left Pending in Senate Health & Human Services Committee
Filed by Rep. Tan Parker and Sen. Paul Bettencourt, respectively, these companion bills would allow greater transparency regarding “off-label” uses of certain drugs, biological products, and devices in the state of Texas. Currently, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for approving medications, but often a medicine approved for one purpose is also effective for treating other ailments. About one-fifth of prescriptions written annually are legally prescribed for purposes, patient populations, or dosages different from what the FDA originally approved them for. It is legal for doctors to prescribe medicines for “off-label” use; however, the FDA generally forbids drug manufacturers from sharing truthful information about real “off-label” uses with doctors and insurance companies, which can affect both treatment and coverage decisions.
SB 292: Supportive Palliative Care Awareness
Status: Referred to Senate Health & Human Services
Filed by Sen. Nathan Johnson, SB 292 aims to better define palliative care and support palliative caregivers by developing and providing better educational materials on Supportive Palliative Care (SPC) and distinguish SPC from hospice services. This would include providing family caregivers and individuals in need of SPC with information on how to provide adequate care, receive support, and access these services in the local community. The legislation would also charge Texas Health and Human Services Commission with developing protocols for the assessment of the suitability of an individual to serve as a family caregiver, as well as developing a system of reimbursing leave or encouraging employers to provide paid leave to family caregivers.
The Texas Cancer Survivors Coalition’s goal is to bring a united voice to the Texas State Capitol on behalf of cancer survivors and their support networks, while supporting and proposing state legislative and regulatory initiatives that directly impact cancer care and wellness. TCSC is the first organization in the state to focus solely on legislative and regulatory reform for cancer survivors and their networks.
For more information about the Texas Cancer Survivors Coalition, its mission and goals, please contact The Mach 1 Group.