Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008
Latest Action
Became Public Law No: 110-285.
Official Summary
Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008 - (Sec. 4) Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to continue to enhance, expand, and intensify pediatric cancer research and other activities related to pediatric cancer, including therapeutically applicable research to generate effective treatments, pediatric preclinical testing, and pediatric clinical trials through National Cancer Institute-supported pediatric cancer clinical trials groups and their member institutions. Encourages the Secretary to take into consideration the application of such research and other activities for minority, health disparity, and medically underserved communities. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to childhood cancer professional and direct service organizations for the expansion and widespread implementation of: (1) activities that provide information on treatment protocols to ensure early access to the best available therapies and clinical trials for pediatric cancers; (2) activities that provide available information on the late effects of pediatric cancer treatment to ensure access to necessary long-term medical and psychological care; and (3) direct resource services such as educational outreach for parents, information on school reentry and postsecondary education, and resource directories or referral services for financial assistance, psychological counseling, and other support services. Encourages the Secretary to take into consideration the extent to which an entity would use such grant for purposes of making activities and services available to minority, health disparity, and medically underserved communities. Requires the Secretary to develop and implement metrics-based performance measures to assess the effectiveness of activities funded under such grants. Requires any information made available pursuant to a grant to be: (1) culturally and linguistically appropriate as needed by patients and families affected by childhood cancer; and (2) approved by the Secretary. Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2013. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award a grant to enhance and expand infrastructure to track the epidemiology of pediatric cancer into a comprehensive nationwide registry of actual occurrences of pediatric cancer. Requires such registry to be updated to include an actual occurrence within weeks of the date of such occurrence. Subjects such registry to federal laws regarding records maintained on individuals, health information privacy regulations, informed consent regulations, and any other federal laws relating to the privacy of patient information.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™The Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008 mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enhance and expand pediatric cancer research and related activities, including clinical trials and preclinical testing, with a focus on minority, health disparity, and medically underserved communities. The Act authorizes grants to childhood cancer professional and direct service organizations to provide information on treatment protocols, late effects of treatment, and direct resource services such as educational outreach and psychological counseling. It requires culturally and linguistically appropriate information and the development of performance metrics to assess grant effectiveness. Additionally, the Act establishes a comprehensive nationwide pediatric cancer registry managed by the CDC, updated within weeks of cancer occurrences, and subject to federal privacy laws. Funding is authorized for fiscal years 2009 through 2013.
This law strengthens pediatric cancer research, support services, and data tracking to improve treatment access and outcomes, especially for underserved populations.
- Requires enhanced pediatric cancer research and clinical trials through the National Cancer Institute.
- Authorizes grants to organizations for information dissemination and support services tailored to childhood cancer patients and families.
- Establishes a nationwide pediatric cancer registry with timely updates and privacy protections.
- Encourages consideration of minority and underserved communities in research and service delivery.
- Mandates performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of funded activities.
['Children diagnosed with cancer and their families', 'National Cancer Institute and affiliated pediatric cancer clinical trial groups', 'Childhood cancer professional and direct service organizations', 'Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)', 'Minority, health disparity, and medically underserved communities']
['Implementation challenges in timely updating and maintaining a nationwide cancer registry with strict privacy compliance', 'Ensuring sufficient funding and resource allocation for authorized activities through FY2009-FY2013', 'Oversight and measurement of grant effectiveness based on newly required performance metrics', 'Potential administrative burden on the Secretary of Health and Human Services and CDC to coordinate expanded research and registry activities']
The bill was introduced and passed during the 110th Congress and was signed into law on July 29, 2008. It reflects a legislative focus on improving pediatric cancer research, treatment access, and data collection infrastructure, with an emphasis on addressing health disparities. The law builds on existing public health statutes and involves coordination among federal health agencies.
Hidden impact flags detected: 2
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['Improved data collection and research may lead to advances in pediatric cancer treatments and long-term care protocols.', 'Enhanced outreach and support services could improve educational and psychological outcomes for childhood cancer survivors and their families.', 'Focus on minority and underserved communities may contribute to reducing health disparities in pediatric cancer outcomes.']
The bill mandates the development of metrics-based performance measures to assess grant effectiveness, which supports transparency and accountability. The establishment of a nationwide pediatric cancer registry subject to privacy laws requires ongoing oversight to ensure compliance with data protection standards. The limited authorization period for funding highlights the need for future legislative review to maintain program continuity.
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