Breast Cancer Action Demands Elected Officials Take Action on Breast Cancer: "It's an Epidemic, Stupid!"

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Breast Cancer Action (BCAction), the national watchdog of the breast cancer movement, today announced their 2012 Think Before You Pink® campaign, "It's an Epidemic, Stupid!"  The campaign demands candidates and elected officials initiate and support independent research and strong regulation to turn the tide on this epidemic.

With all eyes on November's election, BCAction is pushing breast cancer front and center in national conversations about healthcare reform and women's health. The federal government's job is not only to protect those it governs from nuclear and terrorist threats but also from toxins that increase the risk of breast cancer and other diseases. BCAction urges everyone concerned about breast cancer to demand representatives from every state support the 2012 Breast Cancer Action Mandate for Government Action.

Karuna Jaggar, Breast Cancer Action's executive director, said: "For the last 30 years, the government has outsourced its responsibility for this disease to large-scale philanthropic organizations beholden to corporate funders. At the same time, many candidates seek our votes by simply wearing pink ribbons and touting empty, 'feel good' legislation. This is political pinkwashing. We want candidates to take action and publicly support the 2012 Breast Cancer Action Mandate for Government Action."

BCAction's campaign "It's an Epidemic, Stupid!" gives people the opportunity to demand candidates and representatives across the U.S. publicly support the 2012 Breast Cancer Action Mandate for Government Action at www.bcaction.org. BCAction urges everyone frustrated by political pinkwashing to read their "Critical Questions for Conscious Voters."

"The breast cancer epidemic is as central to debates about women's health as access to abortion and contraception," said Jaggar. "The government needs to take action on prevention and better treatments through independent research and strong regulation. The recent study from The Cancer Genome Atlas is a good example of the vital role of government in funding independent research."

"It's an Epidemic, Stupid!" is part of Breast Cancer Action's Think Before You Pink® campaign which demands an end to pinkwashing through accountability and transparency in efforts to address and end the breast cancer epidemic.

Breast Cancer Action (www.bcaction.org)—a national non-profit education and advocacy organization refuses to accept funding from pharmaceutical companies or organizations that profit from or contribute to the breast cancer epidemic.

SOURCE Breast Cancer Action