On July 11, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved, by voice vote, a resolution (H. Con. Res. 385) that expresses the sense of Congress that further research be conducted on screening tests for ovarian cancer. Sponsored by Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), the resolution calls for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct or support research on ovarian cancer screening tests. H. Con. Res. 385 also calls on federal health care programs as well as group and individual health plans to cover the tests if the medical screening technique is proven “effective for identifying ovarian cancer.”
Committee Chair Billy Tauzin (R-LA) stated that ovarian cancer is “an aggressive cancer that destroys lives.” He added that the resolution was especially important because “half of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer die within five years.”
Ovarian cancer is treatable if detected early, before it has spread beyond the ovaries. However, most cases are not diagnosed until the advanced stages of the disease.
