| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing April 2011 as "Cancer Clinical |
| 3 | Trial Awareness Month" in Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, 40 years ago, a blood cancer diagnosis was a near |
| 6 | death sentence for a child but, through the dedication and |
| 7 | perseverance of cancer clinical trials, the survival rate today |
| 8 | for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia, the most common |
| 9 | form of leukemia among children, is more than 90 percent, and |
| 10 | WHEREAS, while nearly 60 percent of all pediatric cancer |
| 11 | patients participate in clinical trials, only 3 percent to 5 |
| 12 | percent of adult cancer patients participate because of the |
| 13 | potential loss of insurance coverage for routine patient care, |
| 14 | and |
| 15 | WHEREAS, cancer clinical trials are at the forefront of |
| 16 | cancer research, allowing patients access to groundbreaking |
| 17 | treatments that can prove to be lifesaving, and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, the incidence and mortality rate of cancer in |
| 19 | Florida is higher than the national average, with cancer being |
| 20 | the state's leading cause of death, and |
| 21 | WHEREAS, in order to ensure coverage for the state's |
| 22 | citizens suffering from cancer, the state created a voluntary |
| 23 | agreement among healthcare providers, insurers, and patient |
| 24 | advocacy groups which allows adult cancer patients to maintain |
| 25 | their coverage of routine patient care while participating in a |
| 26 | clinical trial, making Florida one of only five states to create |
| 27 | such an agreement, and |
| 28 | WHEREAS, representatives from Aetna, AvMed Health Plans, |
| 29 | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, CIGNA, Humana, Inc., |
| 30 | United Healthcare, Vista Healthplan, Inc., and Vista Healthplan |
| 31 | of South Florida, Inc., signed the agreement, ensuring that |
| 32 | cancer patients across the state would have access to crucial |
| 33 | medical care while participating in a clinical trial, and |
| 34 | WHEREAS, this voluntary agreement allows for further |
| 35 | advancements in the field of cancer research and gives more |
| 36 | patients the opportunity to receive better medical care and an |
| 37 | increased chance of survival, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 38 |
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| 39 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 40 | Florida: |
| 41 |
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| 42 | That April 2011 is recognized as "Cancer Clinical Trial |
| 43 | Awareness Month" in Florida. |