Washington, DC--Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) voted in favor of legislation he co-sponsored, the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act, which is designed to enhance medical research on cancers with high mortality rates, including pancreatic cancer.  Rep. Engel is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health.

“This legislation is something very personal to me, as I lost my mother to pancreatic cancer a few years ago.  Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, and saving the lives of those affected by this disease, as well as those with ovarian and lung cancer should be something we all support.  I was pleased to see my colleagues come together in a bipartisan manner to pass this bill in the House, and I call on the Senate to do the same.  I believe we should be striving towards living in a world without cancer – and this bill is one step along the way to achieve that goal.  Cancer knows no political affiliation, nor economic or ethnic differences.  It simply kills, and we have to support research to stop it once and for all,” said Rep. Engel.

H.R. 733, the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act of 2012, passed the House on September 19 via voice vote.  This legislation directs the National Cancer Institute to establish a scientific framework to guide research on recalcitrant cancers by identifying unanswered medical and scientific questions, using various methodologies to develop research plans, and the proper reporting of findings.  The scientific framework for each initial cancer identified would be updated five years after the initial framework is completed. The NIH would then be required to issue a report to Congress with recommendations on the effectiveness of the scientific framework model.  H.R. 733 was introduced on February 16, 2011 by Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA).

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