Did you know that in the last 20 years only ONE drug has been initially approved by the FDA for any childhood cancer? The only drugs available are “hand-me-down” drugs developed for adults.   Drugs that toxicity often leave children with a lifetime of challenges or impairments. And did you know that 1/2 of all chemo-therapies used to treat children’s cancers are over 25 year old?
The Creating Hope Act was introduced with bipartisan support into the House of Representatives and to the Senate in March of this year. This Act will encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs for children who suffer from serious and rare medical conditions, by providing them a priority FDA review voucher for any other new drug. In other words, by developing new drugs for childhood cancer and other rare diseases, the pharmaceutical company is then able to more quickly get to market another drug that may be more profitable for them.
The Creating Hope Act is being championed by Nancy Goodman, Founder and Executive Director of Kids v Cancer.  Her son Jacob, was 8 years old when he was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer. Jacob passed away 23 months later at the age of 10. In the last 30 years, no new drugs have been developed to treat Jacob’s form of pediatric brain cancer.
So what can we do?
We advocate for passage of the Creating Hope Act.
How?
It’s easy. Just click the following link to contact your representatives and ask for their support of The Creating Hope Act. The main note is already written for you, and the reps are pre-selected by your address. Simply fill in your contact information, add a personal note if you like, and hit send.
 http://www.congressweb.com/cweb2/index.cfm/siteid/KAKI/action/TakeAction.Contact/lettergroupid/9
When you’re done share this page with others so they can do the same. All it takes is a minute.
I sent it… Did you?
Update: As of 10/13/11, Forty three members of congress have signed on as Sponsors for the Creating Hope Act!!! Your emails are making a difference!!
