WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association for Cancer Research applauds the appointment of Ellen V. Sigal, Ph.D., chairperson and founder of the Friends of Cancer Research, to the board of governors for the new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).
Sigal is an important member of the AACR community. She serves as a trustee of the AACR Foundation for the Prevention and Cure of Cancer, and provides valuable insight and advice as a longstanding member of the AACR Science Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee.
“We are delighted that Ellen Sigal has been appointed to the PCORI board. She has been a unwavering champion for cancer patients,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “Our organizations have a long history of working together and we are grateful to her for her sustained efforts to further cancer research. In particular, her work in regulatory science and policy is undoubtedly saving lives.”
The new research institute was created last spring by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to further comparative effectiveness research with the goal of advancing the quality and relevance of evidence needed to assist patients, clinicians, purchasers, and policy-makers in making informed health decisions.
“The science surrounding cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment is rapidly advancing, and we need to ensure that patients receive the most effective treatments possible,” said Foti. “We look forward to working closely with the PCORI board as it sets the framework for determining priorities and develops needed research methodologies.”
Yesterday, the Government Accountability Office announced the appointment of 19 members to the board, representing diverse stakeholder groups as mandated by law. Sigal is one of three patient and consumer representatives who have been included to ensure that the focus remains on cancer research that will benefit patients. The directors of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institutes of Health are also members of the board. A full list of members can be found here.
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.
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