City of Hope, a world-renowned National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, applauds the unanimous vote by the California State Assembly Health Committee to advance the Cancer Patients Bill of Rights (Senate Concurrent Resolution 11) to the full California Assembly. The resolution is expected to be considered by the Assembly later this summer.
The Cancer Patients Bill of Rights is a statement of what every cancer patient in California should be entitled to, such as being able to fully understand their diagnosis and being informed about treatment options in culturally appropriate and understandable language, timely access to cancer subspecialists, and timely access to clinical trials and innovative treatment options.
City of Hope is joined by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the California Chronic Care Coalition and International Myeloma Foundation in the project Cancer Care Is Different, which raises awareness about the negative impact of and inequitable outcomes from restricting patient access to differentiated cancer care, including advanced therapeutics, specialized care and clinical trial access.
City of Hope thanks Sen. Susan Rubio for introducing the Cancer Patients Bill of Rights resolution into the California Legislature; Assembly Member Jim Wood for his leadership as chair of the Assembly’s Health Committee; our coalition members for their partnership and our Vice President of Government Affairs Joseph Alvarnas, M.D., for speaking in support of the resolution at the committee hearing.
Read more about the rights included in the Cancer Patients Bill of Rights and patient stories here.