Requesting that members of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation support increased research funding that commensurates with the burden of the disease so that the screening and treatment of prostate cancer may be improved, and so that the causes of, and a cure for, prostate cancer may be discovered, therefore allowing American families to face less physical, emotional, and financial trauma.

WHEREAS,

1 in 6 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime; and

WHEREAS,

Prostate cancer is the most commonly-diagnosed non-skin cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States; and

WHEREAS,

In 2009, 8,130 men in Pennsylvania and 192,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer; and

WHEREAS,

In 2009, 1,440 in Pennsylvania and 27,360 men in the United States will die of prostate cancer; and

WHEREAS,

African-American males suffer a prostate cancer incidence rate up to 65 percent higher than white males and double the prostate cancer mortality rates of white males; and

WHEREAS,

Ongoing research promises further improvements in prostate cancer prevention, early detection, and treatments; and

WHEREAS,

Research funding for prostate cancer at the National Institutes of Health lags far behind research funding for other comparable diseases; and

WHEREAS,

With new technologies, and, improved diagnostics we could eliminate unnecessary biopsies and treatment and it is estimated that could result in savings of $5 billion for national health care each year—an enormous return-on-investment; and

WHEREAS,

$4,682,197.00 was awarded through the Prostate Cancer Research Program to research facilities in Pennsylvania in fiscal year 2008; and

WHEREAS,

The Prostate Cancer Research Program, one of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, has been level funded at approximately $80,000,000 for eight years; now, therefore, be it

The Philadelphia City Council hereby requests that members of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation support increased research funding that is commensurate with the burden of the disease so that the screening and treatment of prostate cancer may be improved, and so that the causes of, and a cure for, prostate cancer may be discovered therefore allowing American families to face less physical, emotional, and financial trauma.

End