Ayotte introduces bipartisan bill to combat lung cancer in women

Bipartisan legislation introduced on Friday by U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) would enhance research for lung cancer prevention in women – a leading cause of cancer deaths among women.

The Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act, S. 2941, introduced by Ayotte and U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to undertake an inter-agency study to identify ways to boost lung cancer research.

“Lung cancer has a disparate impact on women and we must place a focus on improving research that can help us better understand why this is the case,” Ayotte said. “I’m proud to work with Sens. Feinstein, Rubio and Cantwell on this important legislation because it’s clear that lung cancer affects men and women differently. Our bill will allow for a greater understanding of this terrible disease and how it affects women, determine ways to increase access to life-saving preventive services, and make the public more aware of the importance of screenings that can catch this deadly disease at its earliest, most treatable stage. We owe it to our mothers, sisters, and daughters to do all we can to ensure that women and their families across the country do not continue to suffer from the consequences of this tragic disease.”

The bill would also direct HHS to identify ways to enhance public awareness and education campaigns related to lung cancer in women, as well as recommendations to fill gaps in research.

“Sens. Ayotte and Feinstein, along with Sens. Rubio and Cantwell, have shown what responsive, bipartisan, can-do legislative effort looks,” Laurie Fenton Ambrose, the president and CEO of the Lung Cancer Alliance, said. “Evidence clearly shows that lung cancer presents differently in women and men and it is time to more fully understand why and devise a comprehensive plan of action to address the lethal impact of this disease. We are extremely grateful to be aligning our efforts with these respected leaders who have consistently shown support for initiatives that would improve women’s health and reduce cancer’s impact on all people.”