NCI Told to Expand Blood Cancer Research

With President Bush having signed the HematologicalCancer Research Investment and Education Act on May 14, the NCI will have to"expand, intensify, and coordinate programs for the conduct and support ofresearch with respect to blood cancer, and particularly with respect toleukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma." 

That is the language in the billsponsored by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex), who introduced the bill becausethe National Institutes of Health (NIH) currently spends less than 5% of itsresearch budget on blood cancers, although these diseases account for 11% ofcancer deaths in the United States. "While there is much progress beingreported in our war on cancer, deaths from blood-related cancers are stillincreasing," said Sen. Hutchison. 

In addition to more research, the billalso directs the NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services toundertake a public education campaign.