Healthcare Roundup—Cancer death rates dropping in U.S.; House passes right-to-try legislation

NIH: Cancer mortality dropping in the U.S.

First the good news: Cancer death rates among men, women and children in the U.S. have been dropping between 1999 to 2014, according to the latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer released by the National Cancer Institute. Overall cancer incidence, or rates of new cancers, also decreased in men.

As for the not-so-good news: Incidence of cancer among women stabilized during that time period, the incidence of late-stage prostate cancer has increased and, after decades of decline, prostate cancer mortality has stabilized.

"As overall death rates continue to decline for all major racial and ethnic groups in the United States, it’s clear that interventions are having an impact,” said NCI director Ned Sharpless, M.D. “The report also highlights areas where more work is needed. (Report)

House passes right-to-try legislation

A measure that would allow patients with terminal diseases or conditions to try investigational therapies will head to the president's desk after it passed the U.S. House on Tuesday.

The measure, which passed the House by a vote of 250-169, is the same measure which previously passed the Senate by unanimous consent in August 2017. President Trump has spoken in strong support of right-to-try laws and is expected to sign the measure. (Stat article)

Azar pledges support for Ebola outbreak response

Speaking at the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar pledged up to $7 million toward the response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The assistance would come in addition to technical help from American experts, as well as $1 million in aid announced last week.  

During his remarks, Azar also promised conditional support for a World Health Organization "that excels at its mission." Specifically, he pointed to the priorities of infectious disease threats such as pandemic flu and multidrug resistant organisms, as well as diseases such as Ebola. He also expressed disappointment that Taiwan was not invited to participate in the assembly.