STAR Act Aims to Boost Pediatric Research

This week, President Trump signed the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access and Research (STAR) Act, which is aimed at supporting pediatric cancer research. The legislation calls for expanding the collection of patient biospecimens and records, improving surveillance, and investigating pediatric survivorship.

Last month, when the legislation passed in the Senate and House of Representatives, leaders from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) applauded the bipartisan cooperation that led to the act’s passage and noted the AACR’s efforts against childhood cancers.

“Finding cures for pediatric cancers is a major priority for the AACR, as is ensuring that childhood cancer survivors are able to overcome many of the late health effects associated with their prior treatments, including secondary cancers and organ failure,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. “During the past few years, the AACR has been especially focused on making an important difference in the lives of children with cancer by bringing together the brain trust of the field to identify actionable steps that will accelerate progress against pediatric cancer.”

Catherine Caruso, a writer for the AACR journal Cancer Discovery, wrote about the STAR Act in the most recent edition, noting that this is the second major piece of legislation focused on childhood cancer to take effect within the past year. To learn more about the new acts targeting childhood cancers, read the full article.