A Decade In The Making: Zero Advocates Land A $90 Million Victory In The Fight To End Prostate Cancer

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congress is paving the way for a historic leap forward in prostate cancer research as appropriators recommend a $10 million increase in prostate cancer research funding at the Department of Defense (DoD). Today the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Appropriations reported its Fiscal Year 2017 Defense Appropriations Bill, which includes $90 million for the Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP). This $10 million plus-up reflects an increase of over 12 percent and marks the first time in a decade that the committee has marked the bill higher than $80 million.

"We would like to thank the House Appropriations Committee members and specifically Subcommittee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, as well as all of our passionate advocates for their dedication to stopping the pain and suffering from prostate cancer," said ZERO CEO Jamie Bearse. "Continuing to advance research and develop new treatments for the disease are of the utmost importance to ZERO, our advocates, and the men we serve, and we're proud to be one step closer to $90 million thanks to the hard work, leadership, and commitment of our Congressional champions."

Critical research funded by the PCRP has produced significant advances for men battling prostate cancer, leading to three new lifesaving treatments for the disease in the last five years. This increase follows the hard work of more than 100 advocates from 40 different states that stormed Capitol Hill during the ZERO Prostate Cancer Summit in February to meet with elected officials. Congressmen Peter King (R-NY) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA) joined ZERO advocates in championing the effort to increase funding. Should they be approved, these much-needed funds will kick-start research for improved diagnostic tools to help stop the pain and suffering from prostate cancer, and to move closer to zero prostate cancer cases and zero pain and suffering from the disease.

The Committee's approval means that the bill will be considered by the full House of Representatives in the coming weeks. The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to release its version of the bill before Memorial Day. The two pieces of legislation will be reconciled later this fall before final passage of the measure sends it to the President's desk for signature. Should the final legislation maintain the $90 million House appropriation, this would be the largest increase in funding for the PCRP since 2001, a major victory for every advocate fighting for increased prostate cancer research funding.

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SOURCE ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer

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