News Alerts

Smaller Cancer Clinics Failing

COA members, Glenn Balasky, executive director at Zangmeister Cancer Center and Ruth Lander, practice administrator at Columbus Oncology & Hematology quoted on cancer clinic financial struggles and closings… read more.

Durbin: Congressional Action Needed to Ease Drug Shortage

COA member, Donna Kruger, a practice administrator at Illinois Cancer Specialists quoted on drug shortages issue… read more.

Senator Hatch Releases Discussion Draft on Drug Shortages Legislation

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) has released his proposed legislation to deal with the drug shortages crisis. To view the article, click here.

COA board member Scott Parker and Susanne Johnson-Berns, GA Chapter President quoted in the Marietta Journal

http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/16186560/article-The-cruelest-cut–Cancer-practice-says-lower-reimbursement-would-devastate-patient-care?instance=lead_story_left_column

Announcing the 2012 Lilly Oncology On Canvas Art Competition

2012 Lilly Oncology On Canvas: Expressions of a Cancer Journey. Competition is now open. Click Here To View The Article

DOXIL® C.A.R.E.S. Physician Access Program Update

JANSSEN, a pharmaceutical company of Johnson and Johnson, provides an update on the supply of the cancer drug Doxil and DOXIL C.A.R.E.S. Physician Access Program Update. Click Here To View The Article

Rick Frame, MD/CPAN Medical Chairman and Rose Gerber, COA Director of Patient Advocacy, provide insight into national oncology issues in Value Based Cancer Care.

Click Here To View The Article

Rick Frame, MD/CPAN Medical Chairman and his patient Brenda Olson share their drug shortages experience in this article.

Salt Lake Tribune 3-14-12

March is Colorectal Awareness Month

March is Colorectal Awareness month. Here is some great information from The Center for Disease Control (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/features/colorectalawareness/

COA’s Director of Practice Initiatives, Bo Gamble talks about Medical Homes

Mr. Robert “Bo” Gamble, Director, Strategic Practice Initiatives, Community Oncology Alliance in Washington, DC, addresses how the ACO model isn’t a good fit for cancer care because of unpredictability and the high cost of oncology medications. Mr. Gamble also discusses the standards set by the NCQA and why he thinks they are on target with

CancerConnect Offers Online Alternative Networking for Patients

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are rapidly growing, giving patients with cancer a place to connect with others. But an alternative networking website claims to be a more comprehensive, responsible, “commercial-free” alternative. Over 10,000 patients with cancer have registered at CancerConnect (www.CancerConnect.com), which was launched in 2010 to enrich the patient’s experience. At

FDA Moves on Drug Shortages – More Questions than Answers?

In an extraordinary move, the FDA is allowing the importation of a Doxil “replacement” drug, Lipodox, to alleviate the Doxil shortages. The first concern is for people in need of the drug, so if this works it will be a good move for cancer patients. However, the FDA has not supplied any important information on

Utah Legislation Would Allow Cancer Doctors To Dispense Certain Drugs

The Salt Lake (UT) Tribune (2/5, Henetz) reported, “Cancer doctors who want to give patients new ‘smart’ drugs in their offices – a practice now forbidden in Utah – will soon take their case to the Legislature, arguing that the current law can make patients’ lives more miserable and cost them too much money.” Those

SANOFI’s Patient Connection – Helping Patients Access Cancer Medication

All cancer patients and their health care providers should have access to needed cancer saving medications and SANOFI’s Patient Connection helps make that possible. Cancer patients with no insurance or limited insurance may be eligible to receive free medications. Patients and practices can learn more about eligibility requirements, including Sanofi’s Resource Connection via this link

National drug shortage takes toll on Montanans

By CINDY UKEN Of The Gazette Staff (BillingsGazette.com) | Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:00 am While awaiting the birth of their first child, Richard and Dawn Grayson were preoccupied with selecting a name, decorating the nursery and buying diapers, oblivious to the national drug shortage crisis. That changed in April when their baby, Tanner,

Pascrell and Lance join in bipartisan effort to help cancer patients

BY JEANETTE FRIEDMAN NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM FRIDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2011 Under the leadership of two New Jersey Congressmen, Bill Pascrell and Leonard Lance, 61 members of the House of Representatives — 13 Republicans and 48 Democrats — urged the Joint Deficit Reduction Committee not to cut $3 billion to Medicare, a cut designed to prevent reimbursement of

Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients

About the Preventing Infections in Cancer PatientsProgram Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients is a comprehensive program focused on providing information, action steps, and tools to help reduce the risk of developing potentially life-threatening infections during chemotherapy treatment. Through the program, CDC developed the following tools— A Web site called 3 Steps Toward Preventing Infections During Cancer Treatment Basic

Genentech Submits New Drug Application to FDA for Vismodegib for Rare Form of Advanced Skin Cancer

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Sep 12, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (six:RO)(six:ROG)(otcqx:RHHBY), today announced that the company has submitted a New Drug Application for vismodegib to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of people with advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) for whom surgery is considered

Proposed Medicare Cuts Threaten Cancer Care for Seniors Community Oncology Alliance Submits Comments to CMS Regarding 2012 Physician Fee Schedule

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2011 The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding proposed changes to the 2012 Physician Fee Schedule, which the organization warns could irreparably damage the U.S. cancer care system. COA is calling on CMS to prevent the Physician Fee Schedule cuts and the

FDA Approves Xalkori, a Pfizer Lung Cancer Drug

By IBTimes Staff Reporter The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Xalkori (crizotinib) to treat certain patients with late- non-small cell lung cancers, who have a form of genetic mutation. Xalkori is a Pfizer drug, and it works by targeting specific genes found certain patients. This gene is called the abnormal anaplastic lymphoma

FDA’s MedWatch Safety Alerts: July 2011

Use of Surgical Mesh Is Risky Surgery to repair pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) that involves the placement of a mesh material through the vagina may expose women to a greater risk of complications than would other forms of the surgery. The number of problems reported to FDA has continued to

Health Disparities in Cancer

Increasing early cancer detection, promoting healthy lifestyles, and expanding access to health care help reduce inequalities in cancer among groups at greatest risk. Public health agencies, health care providers, and communities must partner to reduce disparities. According to CDC’ Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE), life expectancy and overall health have improved for most

A New Way to Detect Lung Cancer? Dogs Can Sniff It Out

By ALICE PARK Thursday, August 18, 2011 They’re man’s best friend, but dogs, it turns out, may also be a doctor’s newest secret weapon for detecting cancer. German researchers report in the European Respiratory Journal that dogs can be trained to detect lung cancer by sniffing human breath. The scientists worked with an admittedly small number of canines

Drug Shortages Survey

There is a national drug shortage in the United States that threatens the viability of cancer patients unable to receive prescribed treatment for their disease. The results of a recent survey compiled by the Community Oncology Alliance, Association of Community Cancer Centers, and American Oncology Social Workers members speaks to the severity of the situation.

HHS announces proposal to improve rules protecting human research subjects

Changes under consideration would ensure the highest standards of protections for human subjects involved in research, while enhancing effectiveness of oversight The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today that the federal government is contemplating various ways of enhancing the regulations overseeing research on human subjects. Before making changes to the regulations –

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