Stacy Jacobson
Senior Regional Media Advocacy Manager
Advocates to Urge State Lawmakers to Pass Biomarker Testing Bill at Annual Cancer Action Day
February 7, 2025
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – More than 50 cancer advocates, including patients, survivors and caregivers from around Tennessee will travel to the state Capitol next Tuesday, February 11, to meet with lawmakers and ask for their support in ensuring coverage of biomarker testing. The bills (HB0484 and SB0435) to ensure coverage were introduced on January 28. In the case of a cancer diagnosis, biomarker testing helps doctors determine the right therapy or treatment, saving some patients from more generalized treatments like chemo and radiation that may not work. It can help save critical time in a cancer fight.
The visit is part of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) annual Cancer Action Day, an event that brings volunteer advocates together to call on lawmakers to make fighting cancer a policy priority.
“We are proud to fight to make sure all Tennesseans can achieve the best chance to survive cancer, especially when more than 40,000 Tennesseans will receive a cancer diagnosis this year,” said Maddie Michael, government relations director for ACS CAN in Tennessee. “We know this legislation would save lives. For example, patients with certain lung cancer types who received biomarker testing had a 31% reduction in risk of death.”
To date, 20 states have passed legislation to ensure coverage of biomarker testing, including Georgia, Texas and Kentucky.
WHO: Cancer Patients, Survivors and Advocates, including a volunteer who credits biomarker testing with saving his life.
WHAT: Cancer Action Day for Biomarker Testing Legislation
WHERE: Cordell Hull State Office Building, Room 8C
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 11, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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