New York Biomarker Testing Campaign

Welcome!

Precision medicine is changing the way we treat cancer. Biomarker testing is the key to unlocking access to these personalized treatments. ACS CAN and partners are working together to make sure more New Yorkers have access to the right medicine at the right time.

Ask Governor Hochul to Sign the New York Biomarker Bill Without Delay

Please send a message to Governor Hochul today and implore her to sign our bill the minute it hits her desk! New Yorkers are depending on her to act to help more patients get the right treatment at the right time. 

Send a message to Governor Hochul today.

Sign Up To Be Kept Informed About The Biomarker Campaign

Precision medicine is changing the way we treat cancer and biomarker testing is the key to opening the door to the types of personalized cancer treatments that can improve survival rates and quality of life. A1673/S1196 would improve access to biomarker testing in New York State. 

What is biomarker testing?

Biomarker testing helps get the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. Progress in improving health outcomes increasingly involves the use of precision medicine, which uses information about a person’s own genes or proteins to prevent, diagnose or treat various diseases and chronic illnesses like cancer. Biomarker testing is an important step to accessing precision medicine which includes targeted therapies that can lead to improved survivorship and better quality of life for patients battling diseases and chronic illnesses like cancer.

Watch the Biomarker 101 video here. (2:31)

Biomarkers are often used to help determine the best treatment for a patient. A “biomarker” is a sign of disease or abnormal function that can be measured in blood, tissue, or bodily fluid. Biomarker testing is the analysis of a patient’s tissue, blood, or fluid biospecimen for the presence of a biomarker.

Biomarker testing is increasingly important for cancer care – and for the treatment of other diseases. Thirty-seven of the 62 oncology drugs launched in the past five years require or recommend biomarker testing prior to use.

Download the NY Biomarker campaign legislative packet

Read Giovanna's story       Read Maureen's story        Read Carol's story

Watch Giovanna's video here.      Watch Karen's video here. 

Take Action Today: Help Ensure That Every NYer Has Access to The Right Treatment at The Right Time

Improve access to biomarker testing

Despite the growing importance of biomarker testing in personalized medicine, significant barriers to biomarker testing persist, 

A significant percentage of cancer patients and survivors do not receive biomarker testing because it is not covered by their insurer or the out-of-pocket costs would be too high. A recent study found that 32% of New Yorkers are covered by plans that have more restrictive coverage than what is recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN) guidelines for four common cancers. This means a significant number of New Yorkers and a significant number of cancers are being left out.

There is currently limited and disparate access to biomarker testing. According to a recent ACS CAN, Survivor Views survey of cancer patients and survivors, 29% of patients who discussed the need for biomarker testing with their doctor did not receive this testing because it was not covered by their insurer or the out-of-pocket costs would be too high.

Not all communities are benefitting from the latest advancements in biomarker testing and precision medicine. Communities that have been marginalized including communities of color and individuals with lower socioeconomic status are less likely to receive biomarker testing.

People in rural communities and those receiving care in nonacademic medical centers are also less likely to benefit from biomarker testing.

State Action Is Needed

S1196/A1673 will ensure New Yorkers covered by state-regulated insurance plans, including Medicaid, have coverage for biomarker testing when medically appropriate.

Improving access to biomarker testing and thereby access to targeted therapies will help reduce health disparities and improve outcomes for cancer patients.

Expanding access to biomarker testing will also increase patient diversity in clinical trials as the number and percentage of cancer clinical trials that involve biomarkers have grown significantly.

Take Action Today: Help Ensure That Every NYer Has Access to The Right Treatment at The Right Time

Join Our Statewide Coalition Today

New York Biomarker Testing Coalition

• AiArthritis
• Aimed Alliance
• ALS Association
• American Association of Clinical Urologists
• American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• American Childhood Cancer Organization
• American Kidney Fund
• American Lung Association
• Arthritis Foundation
• Association for Clinical Oncology
• Association of Community Cancer Centers
• Bassett Cancer Institute
• Brooklyn College Cancer Center, CUNY
• Catalytic Impact Foundation
• Colorectal Cancer Alliance
• Columbia University Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Community Health Care Association of New York
• Exon 20 Group
• Fight Colorectal Cancer
• FORCE - Facing Hereditary Cancer Empowered
• Global Colon Cancer Association
• GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer
• Head and Neck Cancer Alliance
• HEAL Collaborative
• Infusion Access Foundation
• International Cancer Advocacy Network
• KRAS Kickers
• Lung Cancer Research Foundation
• LUNGEVITY
• Lupus and Allied Diseases Association
• Medical Society State of New York
• Melanoma Research Foundation
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Montefiore Health System
• Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center
• NAACP New York State Conference
• National Comprehensive Cancer Care Network
• National Infusion Center Association
• National Marrow Donor Foundation
• National Organization for Rare Disorders
• National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
• New York Oncology Hematology
• New York State Academy of Family Physicians
• New York State Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
• New York State Public Health Association
• Northwell Health
• NYU Langone
• Oncology Nursing Society
• Ovarian Cancer Project
• Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
• Patient Empowerment Network
• Patients Rising Now
• Rochester Regional Health
• Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Statewide Senior Action Council
• Stony Brook Cancer Center
• Susan G Komen
• Target Cancer Foundation
• The Michael J. Fox Foundation
• Triage Cancer
• University of Rochester Medical Center
• Weill Cornell Medicine
• ZERO The End of Prostate Cancer

Share your Story 

A patients story is the most impactful way to convey the importance of biomarker testing. Do you have a story to share? If you are a patient or survivor battling a disease or chronic illness like cancer who has had biomarker testing and benefitted from a targeted therapy because of that testing, please fill out this survey form and share your story with us.  

Resources for the New York Biomarker Campaign 

Join the Biomarker Campaign Here To Be Kept Informed About The Campaign

Read the ACS CAN support memo for S1196/A1673

Download the NY Biomarker campaign legislative packet

Sample Biomarker Sign-on Letter

Biomarker Bill S1196/A1673 Status Information

Current Sponsors as of 5/8/23

Assembly Sponsors;  Hunter, Dinowitz, Bronson, Raga, Lavine, Alvarez, McDonald, Paulin, Gunther, Seawright, Septimo, Thiele, Shimsky, De Los Santos, Steck, Davila, Rosenthal L, Santabarbara, Williams, Bichotte Hermelyn, Fahy, Buttenschon, Burdick, Simone, Jacobson, Benedetto, Aubry, Cruz, Clark, Simon, Ardila, Zebrowski, Dickens, Cunningham, Burgos, Durso, Maher, Brabenec, Slater, Manktelow, DeStefano, Barclay.

Senate Sponsors:  Persaud, Addabbo, Brouk, Chu, Cleare, Comrie, Gallivan, Gonzalez, Gounardes, Hoylman-Sigal, Krueger, Mannion, Mattera, May, Myrie, Palumbo, Parker, Rivera, Salazar, Skoufis, Thomas, Weik

Additional Information

Visit the National Biomarker Homepage 

Biomarkers and Clinical Trials

Precision Medicine and Biomarker Testing

Health Equity and Biomarker Testing