Meehan applauds Obama’s cancer initiative

President Barack Obama’s announcement during his State of the Union of a nationwide initiative to fight and cure cancer was lauded by U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA).

Vice President Joe Biden, who has been tasked with leading the initiative, will start the effort with a visit on Friday to the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center.

“I’m pleased the vice president will be kicking off this project in Philadelphia,” Meehan said. “It’s an acknowledgement of the tremendous work being done at the University of Pennsylvania and other institutions in southeastern Pennsylvania. It’s an opportunity for our region to play a central role in a project that could make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans.”

Meehan was joined at the State of the Union by President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Madeline Bell.

“The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is one of the world’s great hospitals and every day, doctors and scientists conduct cutting-edge research into conditions that affect millions of American children,” Meehan said. “I asked Madeline Bell to join me in the House chamber last night to highlight the importance of supporting this research and I welcome last night’s announcement. By knocking down the ‘silos’ restricting the flow of research data and expanding access to clinical trials, we can accelerate our progress toward finding a cure and help more patients utilize groundbreaking treatments.”