During this year’s interim meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD), ASCO proposed four resolutions on step therapy, Medicare Part B drugs, a Competitive Acquisition Program, and clinical trial access, all of which were adopted or reaffirmed by the policy-making body. An ASCO-backed resolution on Qualified Clinical Data Registries was also adopted. In addition, the AMA HOD adopted a late ASCO-backed resolution affirming that some patients with acute or chronic pain can benefit from taking higher doses of opioid pain medication than generally recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The resolution calls on the AMA to advocate against the misapplication of CDC guidelines to ensure patients have medical access to opioids.
During the meeting, ASCO led the HOD’s Cancer Caucus, which provides a forum to address oncology-specific issues that are either being discussed or should be discussed by the HOD.
For more information about the AMA HOD and ASCO’s activities with the AMA, read our ASCO in Action brief on the AMA, listen to a recent ASCO in Action podcast, or read a blog by Edward Paul Balaban, DO, FACP, FASCO on ASCO Connection.
Check back in with ASCO in Action for updates on ASCO’s work with the AMA, important policy decisions, and any potential impact on cancer care. ■
© 2018. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
