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Improving Access
to Breast Cancer Clinical Trials
New York,
NY - July 28, 2003 - The Greater NYC Affiliate of the Susan
G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has awarded Clinical Directors
Network, Inc. (CDN) a $50,000 grant to educate Community Health
Center patients and providers about the benefits of participating
in breast cancer clinical trials and to enhance the referral of
minority patients into these trials.
"We are delighted that the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
has awarded CDN a CRAFT grant to increase the numbers of minority
women participating in breast cancer clinical trials throughout
New York City," said Jonathan N. Tobin, PhD, President/CEO
of CDN. "This project will help improve clinical outcomes by
recruiting African American and Latina women into clinical trials
where they will have access to the latest treatments and protocols,"
said Andrea Cassells, MPH who will be directing the project. Cancer
from all causes remains the second leading cause of death in the
United States. This burden is higher in African Americans and Latinas
compared to whites. Clinical trials provide new and innovative treatment
regimens that can improve overall survival rates. Unfortunately,
minority and/or underserved groups are often reluctant to participate
in clinical trials for various reasons. As a result, African Americans
and Latinas are often under-represented in clinical trials. This
project will increase the rate of minority and/or underserved women
entering clinical trials. Enrolling African American and Latina
women into clinical trials may serve as a catalyst to encourage
women from other minority groups to enter into clinical trials.
Participation of minorities in clinical research is essential to
ensure that the results of the trials are relevant to their ethnic
groups.
The Greater
New York City Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
(Komen Greater NYC)
The mission of Komen Greater NYC is to eradicate breast cancer as
a life threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening,
and treatment. Through the support of its signature fundraiser,
the Komen New York City Race for the CureŽ, Komen Greater NYC will
this year award nearly $2 million to local programs and national
research that support its mission. Seventy-five percent of the net
proceeds raised by Komen Greater NYC is dedicated to local programming
in the Komen Greater NYC service area, which includes the five boroughs
of New York City, Long Island, Westchester County, and Rockland
County. Twenty-five percent of the organization's net proceeds funds
national breast cancer research through the Komen Foundation Research
Program.
Clinical
Directors Network
Clinical Directors Network, Inc. (CDN) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit
membership organization and practice-based research network (PBRN),
with headquarters in New York City. CDN (www.CDNetwork.org) and
its member Community/Migrant Health Centers (C/MHCs) are dedicated
to providing and improving comprehensive and accessible community-oriented
primary and preventive health care services for poor, minority and
underserved populations. CDN's overall goal is the translation of
clinical research into clinical practice. CDN provides training
and clinical research to medically underserved communities. In addition
to Komen, CDN receives funding from NCI, NIMH, NHLBI, EPA, as well
as other public and private funders.
For more
information please contact:
Andrea Cassells, MPH
Director of Clinical Affairs
5 West 37th Street, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10018
(212) 382-0699, ext. 227
acass@CDNetwork.org
http://www.CDNetwork.org
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