CRANBURY, NJ (July 15, 2022) – The Policy and Advocacy Committee of the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) recently signed onto a letter to the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), urging them to support inclusion of clinical trial diversity in the Senate User Fee Amendment (UFA) package. The letter was promoted by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
With increasing advances in the field of oncology care, clinical trial participation is vital to providing patients with prompt access to cutting-edge treatments and improving treatment choices for cancer patients in the future.
The letter outlines support of several key policies that would enhance access to, and diversity of, clinical trials, including:
- Minimizing financial barriers for patients
- Reducing travel burdens for trial participants
- Promoting sponsor accountability for enrollment diversity
- Improving outreach to underserved patient populations
“Lack of diversity creates a limited understanding across all populations for how safe and effective new drugs might be,” says Sharon Gentry, MSN, RN, HON-ONN-CG, AOCN, CBCN, AONN+ Program Director. “The domains of knowledge support the role of all navigators in clinical trial participation as they educate patients and caregivers on the multidisciplinary nature of cancer treatment, the roles of team members, and what to expect from the healthcare system.”
About the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+)
The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+), is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. The organization, which has more than 8900 members, was founded in 2009 to provide a network for all professionals involved and interested in patient navigation and survivorship care services in order to better manage the complexities of the cancer treatment process. www.aonnonline.org
For Immediate Release
Gwen Coverdale, 267-884-6328
