PAN joins letter from 74 healthcare organizations in support of the Clinical Trial Modernization Act
During our transition, where to find information about:
- Our merged organization: uniting.patientadvocate.org
- Financial assistance: totalassist.org
- Additional direct patient services and resources: patientadvocate.org
- Education: panfoundation.org and education.patientadvocate.org
- Clinical trials education: clinicaltrials.panfoundation.org
- Advocacy: npaf.org
- Research: patientinsightinstitute.org
The PAN Foundation signed on to a letter to Congress with 73 other patient advocacy, public health, and provider organizations, expressing support for H.R. 8412, the Clinical Trial Modernization Act. Patient enrollment in clinical trials is an ongoing challenge and some population groups are underrepresented, including certain racial and ethnic groups, older adults, rural residents, and those with limited incomes.
Offering to reimburse patients for non-medical costs associated with participation in clinical trials can help bridge this gap and increase trial enrollment overall, though some trial sponsors have cited concerns about violating federal restrictions on financial incentives.
The Clinical Trial Modernization Act would make it easier for people to participate in clinical trials by addressing non-medical expense barriers, facilitating remote participation at no cost to the patient, issuing grants to support community outreach for recruitment of underrepresented groups, and ensuring that up to $2,000 of non-reimbursable financial support provided to patients is not subject to taxation or counted against limitations–which would protect 98% of cancer trial participants.
These important provisions are key to increasing clinical trial participation and, thereby, driving innovation and the development of new treatments. This benefits not only trial participants, but everyone who may benefit from new treatments.