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Victory: NJ Passes Oral Chemo Bill
January 9, 2012
Coverage of Chemotherapy Pills Means More Choice for Cancer Patients American Cancer Society Urges Governor Christie to Approve Legislation
Statement from Blair Horner,Vice President for Advocacy, American Cancer Society of
NY & NJ, regarding passage of bill to guarantee price parity for orally administered chemotherapy treatments
"Many new chemotherapy drugs come in pill form that patients can take at home, rather than intravenous injections administered at a medical facility. A full quarter of the nearly 500 cancer drugs in the pipeline today are being developed in pill form. The law needs to keep pace with breakthroughs in cancer research by ensuring that the cost of orally administered chemotherapies is not more expensive than traditional intravenous chemotherapy (S.1834A /A.2666).
Oral chemotherapies are often the most effective, and many times the only, treatment option available. Advancements in cancer treatments are useless if patients don't have access to or can't afford them. Requiring health insurers to cover chemotherapy in pill form, in the same way they cover intravenous therapy, will allow patients to take advantage of whichever treatment is deemed most beneficial for them.
The American Cancer Society thanks Senators Weinberg, Gill, Buono and Cardinale and Assemblymembers Vainieri, Greenstein, Muñoz, Ramos and Angelini for their efforts, and urges Gov. Christie to swiftly sign this legislation."
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