Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Reauthorization Act

Bill: 113-s-1251
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2013-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer
Child health
Congressional oversight
Drug therapy
Government studies and investigations
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: 
Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Reauthorization Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize through FY2018 cancer research programs under the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008. 
 
 Replaces the current pediatric cancer research and awareness grant program carried out by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) with a comprehensive children's cancer biorepositories program.
 
Authorizes the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to make awards to eligible applicants to build upon existing initiatives to collect biospecimens and clinical and demographic information (including date of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, and patient's gender, race, and ethnicity) for at least 90% of all children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer in Comprehensive Children's Cancer Biorepositories for the purpose of achieving a better understanding of the cause of such cancers and the effects of treatments.
 
Permits award amounts to be used to: (1) acquire, preserve, and store high quality, donated biospecimens and associated clinical and demographic information on children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer in the United States; (2) maintain a secure searchable database for scientists and qualified health care professionals to research such biospecimens and data; and (3) make available and distribute such biospecimens and data to researchers and professionals for peer-reviewed research. 
 
Revises the national childhood cancer registry grant program to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to award grants to state cancer registries to enhance and expand infrastructure to track the epidemiology of cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults.
 
Requires a Comptroller General (GAO) report regarding the barriers to conducting pediatric studies of oncologic therapies in applications for new drugs or biological products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including recommendations to improve development and access to new therapies as well as assessments of: (1) the feasibility of requiring studies for a pediatric oncologic indication if the therapeutic target of a drug or biologic product for an adult oncologic indication is highly relevant to any pediatric cancer to which it could apply, and (2) the impact of altering the current exemption for orphan drug designations relating to rare diseases or conditions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5502-5503)
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate