Overview
Our advocacy campaign resulted in historic national and state legislation, recognizing prostate cancer crisis as a public health priority and major area of health care disparities and calling for increased public investment in the advancement of diagnostic tools for early detection and treatment.
Landmark Accomplishments
July 2019: AdMeTech-led advocacy resulted in the Massachusetts Legislature Allocation of $800,000 for the sixth consecutive year: For the costs of a prostate cancer awareness, education and research program focusing on men with African-American, Hispanic or Latino heritage, family history of the disease and other men at high risk; provided, that the department of public health shall oversee and manage said program and shall grant not less than 85 per cent of funds from this item to a nonprofit AdMeTech foundation-led Prostate Cancer Action Council that shall leverage existing partnerships with other state-funded nonprofit research organizations and current and past federally, state and privately funded prostate cancer programs aimed at saving lives, improving quality of life and reducing health care costs.
July 2018: AdMeTech-led advocacy resulted in the Massachusetts Legislature Allocation of $800,000, which is 45% increase in the support of a prostate cancer awareness, education and research program compared to last year. This program continues to be focused on men with African-American, Hispanic, or Latino heritage, family history of the disease and other men at high risk and administered by the Department of Public Health.
July 2017: AdMeTech-led advocacy resulted in the Massachusetts Legislature Allocation of $550,000 for the fourth consecutive year: For the costs of a prostate cancer awareness, education and research program focusing on men with African-American, Hispanic, or Latino heritage, family history of the disease and other men at high risk; provided, that the department of public health shall oversee and manage said program and shall grant fund from this item to a nonprofit foundation that shall leverage existing partnerships with other state-funded nonprofit research organizations and current and past federally, state and privately funded prostate cancer programs aimed at saving lives, improving quality of life and reducing health care costs.
July 2016: AdMeTech-led advocacy resulted in the Massachusetts Legislature Allocation of $650,000 for the third consecutive year: For the costs of a prostate cancer focusing on men with African-American, Hispanic, or Latino heritage, family history of the disease and other men at high risk; provided, that the department of public health shall oversee and manage said program and shall grant not less than eighty-five percent of the funds form this item to a non-profit foundation that shall leverage existing partnerships with other state-funded non-profit research organizations and current and past federally, state and privately funded prostate cancer programs aimed at saving lives, improving quality of life and reducing health care costs; and provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be provided to the Prostate Health Education Network, Inc. to provide education and awareness to the African-Amercian community on prostate cancer and its prevention and treatment.
July 2015: The Massachusetts Governor, Senate and House allocated $500,000 for a state-wide prostate cancer awareness and education campaign for the second consecutive year, with the focus on men with African American heritage, family history and other risk factors.
➤ Overview
January-June 2015: On January 21, US Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) introduced S. 222, the Authorization Act to establish and implement a national plan for expedited development and implementation of novel diagnostic tools, which are expected to transform early detection and treatment. On June 12, US Representatives GK Butterfield (D-NC), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Walter Jones (R-NC), and Michael McCaul (R-Tx) introduced H.R. 2730, a House companion of this legislation.
➤ Overview
January 2015: AdmeTech Foundation established the Prostate Cancer Action Council and its Independent “Blue Ribbon” Expert Panel.
➤ Overview
September 2014: U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) introduced S. 2813 Act – A bill to establish the National Prostate Cancer Council for improved screening, early detection, assessment, and monitoring of prostate cancer, and to direct the development and implementation of a national strategic plan to expedite advancement of diagnostic tools and the transfer of such tools to patients.
➤ Overview
July 2014: The Massachusetts Governor, Senate and House allocated $500,000 for a state-wide prostate cancer awareness and education campaign, with the focus on men with African American heritage, family history and other risk factors.
➤ Overview ➤ NECN Coverage ➤ Press Release ➤ Prostate Cancer Awareness Program
July 2013: Massachusetts State House unanimously supported allocation of $1.5 million for a clinical trial of high quality prostate MRI and its PI-RADS standardization.
➤ Summary
June 2013: To follow up on its request of May 2012 (see May 2012), the US House of Representatives requested a “Report on Prostate Cancer Imaging Research” in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014.
➤ Congressional Report ➤ Summary
June 28, 2012: AdMeTech held the Fourth Annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Day at the Massachusetts State House, and led a petition to US Congress to support the Boxer/Cummings and Kerry legislations. The event participants and the leading state legislators signed this petition.
➤ Overview
June – July 2012: Senator John Kerry (D-MA) led introduction and passage of the bipartisan AdMeTech-advocated Prostate Cancer Resolution (SR 493), which acknowledged prostate cancer in African American men as a health care crisis and urged Federal agencies to support research for the advancement of early detection, including biomarkers and imaging technologies.
➤ Press Release June 14 ➤ Press Release July 30 ➤ S. Res. 529
June 27, 2012: Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) introduced the AdMeTech-driven bipartisan Prostate Cancer Detection Research and Education Act, in order to authorize $180M in federal funding for research and education to improve early detection of prostate cancer.
➤ Press Release ➤ Congressional Record ➤ Letter of support: from MA General Court to MA Delegation to US Congress ➤ Endorsing Organizations ➤ Senate Bill 3345 ➤ House Resolution 6033 ➤ Press Release of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
May 2012: US House of Representatives directed the Department of Defense to prioritize research funding for the advancement of prostate diagnostics in general and imaging specifically (in the National Defense Authorization Act and Defense Appropriation Bill for fiscal year 2013).
September 2011: AdMeTech held the Third Prostate Cancer Awareness Day at the Massachusetts State House, where the Senate President and Speaker of the House set a historic precedent by issuing a General Court Resolution recognizing prostate cancer as a public health priority, a major health care disparity and a central issue in men’s health.
➤ Overview
September 2011: US President’s Proclamation of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month mentioned the advancement of diagnostic tools, including imaging technologies, as one of the top research priorities for the first time.
February 2011: US President’s Budget for NIH highlighted molecular imaging of prostate cancer as one of the top national research priorities for fiscal year 2012.
➤ NIH Budget ➤ Presidential Budget Summary
September 2010: Dr. Faina Shtern of AdMeTech was invited to address the Health Brain Trust of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) by its Chair, Congresswoman Donna Christensen (D – Virgin Islands). It was the first time prostate cancer was included on the agenda of the CBC annual conference.
➤ PR Newswire Coverage ➤ Advocacy Supports PRIME Act ➤ Academy of Radiology, RSNA, AAPM and MITA Support PRIME Act ➤ Photos
March 2010: US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a Congressional Hearing on the state of prostate cancer diagnostics, which was requested and driven by AdMeTech in coordination with Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD). AdMeTech’s CEO Dr. Faina Shtern served as one of the expert witnesses. As the result of this hearing, Rep. Cummings re-introduced the $650 million PRIME Act.
- Overview: ➤NBC Coverage ➤ Hearing Announcement
- AdMeTech CEO Testifies: ➤ Testimony Press Release ➤ Testimony of Dr. Faina Shtern
- Introduction of the P.R.I.M.E. Act: ➤PRIME ACT H.R. 4756 ➤ Introduction of PRIME ACT ➤ Press Release
March 2009: re-introduction of the PRIME Act (S. 756)by US Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in the US Senate.
➤ Congressional Record ➤ Letter to US Senate ➤ PRIME Act
June 2008: HR 353 passed unanimously in the US House of Representatives, with strong bi-partisan support.
➤ Press Release ➤ Videos (Rep Cummings, Democratic and Republican Leaders) ➤ Roll Call Coverage
September 2007: The Fourth Public Conference on Image-Guided Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer brought together key leaders of academia, industry and advocacy. During a closing ceremony in the US Congress, when the $650 million Prostate Cancer Research and Imaging (PRIME) Act was introduced by Rep. Elijah Cummings in the US House of Representatives.
June 2007: The AdMeTech-driven prostate research Imaging & Men’s Health Education (Prime) Act (S. 1734) is introduced in US senate by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) to allocate $650 million over five years for research and education in diagnostics: $500 million for imaging technologies and $100 million for in vitro diagnostics. Co- Sponsors include senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).
➤ S. 1734 ➤ Read S. 1734 ➤ Read Senate Record
May 2007: US House of Representatives Resolution 353 (HR 353), which was advocated by AdMeTech Foundation, was introduced and called for increased national investment in prostate cancer imaging and minimally invasive treatment.
➤ HR 353