Kids v Cancer is proud to announce that Congress passed the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act as part of the Stimulus Package.
This win will create a four year extension to the pediatric voucher program, incentivizing drug development for kids with life threatening illnesses.
While there continue to be negotiations between the President and Congress over other elements of the Stimulus Package, we fully expect the Creating Hope Act reauthorization to be included in the final package.
The pediatric voucher program has created about $2 billion in incentives for pediatric drug development. We have had a great year, but we still need your support.
Since Jacob died in 2009, Kids v Cancer has focused on policy reforms to increase access to novel therapies for kids with cancer and to incentivize the pharmaceutical industry to invest in pediatric drug development.
We have developed and championed:
- The Pediatric Voucher Program, 21 USC 360ff(first passed in 2012)
- The RACE for Children Act, 21 USC 350c (passed in 2017)
- The Compassionate Use Navigator (established in 2016)
2020: Our accomplishments this past year include:Policy
- Creating Hope Reauthorization Act was passed into law.
- RACE for Children Act was fully implemented into law.
Youth CLIMB THE HILL days- Kids v Cancer’s Jenn Flynn sponsoredCLIMB THE HILL student zooms with Congressional Members and staff.  Kids v Cancer is the only group that has kids meet Senators and Representatives without adult chaperones. To join us, please contact: Jenn@kidsvcancer.org.
Compassionate Use Navigator- Kids v Cancer’s Elena Gerasimov continued to advise families and physicians on access to compassionate use drugs. For counsel and support, please contact: elena@kidsvcancer.org.
Publications and Testimony- Compendium of Pediatric Cancer Research Consortia, Elena Gerasimov. A list of the academic consortia available to industry for RACE studies.
- Pediatric Cancer Legislative Yearbook, Elena Gerasimov.
- I testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, Energy and Commerce Committee, Health Subcommittee on the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act
- Before It’s Too Late: Multi-stakeholder Perspectives on Compassionate Access to Investigational Drugs for Pediatric Patients With Cancer(ASCO Educational Book), Elena Gerasimov.
We are proud of all we have done. But we have so much more to do.
The next scheduled opportunity to pass pediatric cancer legislation is summer 2022 and we have begun developing policy reforms for that moment. In addition, we plan to develop a continuing education module for physicians. We will also continue our youth CLIMB THE HILL days and Compassionate Use Navigator.
I hope 2021 brings you health and joy. Happy holidays.
Nancy