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    Interprofessional Issues
    Novel, Interprofessional Approach Enhances Bed Assignments for Individuals on Antineoplastic Drugs in a Hospital Setting
    August 22, 2024
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    Nurse Empowerment
    How AI Can Support Oncology Nurses’ Spirit of Inquiry
    August 15, 2024
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    Nurse Empowerment
    Sharing Our Stories Supports, Celebrates, and Advances the Nursing Profession
    July 04, 2024
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    Nursing Professional Development
    Publish Your First Article With ONS Voice
    March 19, 2024
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    Nurse Well-Being
    When Health Care Is Woven in Our Family Fabric, We Find Support in Unexpected Places
    March 07, 2024
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    The Secretary Shall . . .” Three Simple Words Have Big Implications for Policy Implementation
    Health Policy

    'The Secretary Shall . . .'

    In a June 2023 online health panel discussion, current Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and former HHS Secretaries Alex Azar and Kathleen Sebelius spoke to the advocacy community about leading one of the largest federal agencies in the world. They praised the job, people, and cause and highlighted some of the agency’s notable achievements during their respective tenures.

    December 21, 2023
    Telehealth: The Future Is Now for Patient-Centered Care
    Cancer Health Policy

    Telehealth: The Future Is Now for Patient-Centered Care

    “Quality cancer care requires safety, efficacy, timeliness, and a patient-centered approach coordained by an interprofessional team with the integration of evidence-based practices to continuously improve care. Holistic, culturally sensitive, quality cancer care [also] requires equitable access to healthcare professionals via telehealth or in-person visits across specialties with an understanding of how cancer and cancer treatments affect wellness.”

    November 02, 2023
    Enough Is Enough When It Comes to E-Cigarettes, FDA Says. Legal and Regulatory Authorities Will Snuff Out Underage Tobacco Sales and Marketing.
    Cancer Health Policy

    Enough Is Enough When It Comes to E-Cigarettes, FDA Says

    “The FDA is prepared to use all of its authorities to ensure these, and other illegal and youth-appealing products, stay out of the hands of kids. We are committed to a multipronged approach using regulation, compliance, and enforcement action and education to protect our nation’s youth.” 

    —Robert M. Califf, MD, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner 

    October 19, 2023
    Nursing Advocacy Creates Real Change in Health Policy
    Cancer Healthcare Advocacy

    Nursing Advocacy Creates Real Change in Health Policy

    “Advocacy is a pillar of nursing. Nurses instinctively advocate for their patients, in their workplaces, and in their communities, but legislative and political advocacy is no less important to advancing the profession and patient care.” —American Nurses Association 

    September 21, 2023
    Nurse Leads Relaunch of Bipartisan Assisting Caregivers Today Caucus
    Caregiver Support

    Nurse Leads Relaunch of Bipartisan Assisting Caregivers Today Caucus

    To provide education about the challenges family caregivers face and advocate for policies that support them, U.S. Representatives Jen Kiggans (R-VA), a geriatric nurse practitioner and veteran, and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), along with U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), relaunched the bipartisan Assisting Caregivers Today Caucus in June 2023.

    August 24, 2023
    U.S. Congress Members Call for Overdue Review, Enforcement of E-Cigarettes Still on Market
    Health Policy

    U.S. Congress Members Call for Overdue Review, Enforcement of E-Cigarettes Still on Market

    U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), along with more than 50 members of the U.S. Congress, wrote a letter in June 2023 calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to abide by a court-ordered deadline to review outstanding Premarket Tobacco Product Applications for e-cigarette products that remain on the market without approval. The call comes after FDA failed to meet the initial deadline of September 9, 2021, to complete its review of all pending e-cigarette applications.

    August 23, 2023
    COVID-19 Pandemic and the Supply Chain Among Reasons for the 2022 Drug Shortages, FDA Says
    U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    COVID-19 Pandemic and the Supply Chain Among Reasons for the 2022 Drug Shortages, FDA Says

    In its annual report to the U.S. Congress on drug shortages, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cited the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain problems, and approval processes as reasons for the shortages during the 2022 calendar year.

    August 22, 2023
    FDA Taking Action on Youth E-Cigarettes Usage with Warning Letters to Retailers
    U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    FDA Takes Action on Youth E-Cigarette Usage With Warning Letters to Retailers

    In a record number of outreaches, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters in June 2023 to 189 retailers for selling unauthorized tobacco products. Two notable brands included in the warning, Elf Bar and Esco Bars, sell disposable e-cigarettes that come in flavors that appeal to youth, such as bubblegum and cotton candy.

    August 21, 2023
    Prescription Medication Legislation Helps Americans Access Affordable Care
    Prescription Medication

    Prescription Medication Legislation Helps Americans Access Affordable Care

    In 2019, the mood was hopeful. As we looked ahead to the next decade, Republicans and Democrats in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate appeared to be at a consensus point on a major policy issue: access to affordable prescription medications for the American public.

    August 17, 2023
    U.S. Senators Introduce Bill to Help Medicare Patients Receive Cancer Screening Tests
    Cancer Screening

    U.S. Senators Introduce Bill to Help Medicare Patients Receive Cancer Screening Tests

    To increase access to and coverage for innovative tests that can detect multiple types of cancer, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) reintroduced the Medicare Multicancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act. Bipartisan companion legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.  

    August 09, 2023
    Bipartisan PCHETA Legislation Reintroduced in U.S. Senate
    Health Policy

    Bipartisan PCHETA Legislation Reintroduced in U.S. Senate

    Reinforcing a commitment that palliative care is a priority, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), an ONS health policy priority that benefits both patients and healthcare providers, in July 2023. The bipartisan legislation would bolster the palliative care and hospice workforce and meet the increasing need for care by investing in training, education, and research.

    August 08, 2023
    U.S. Sales of E-Cigarettes Climbed Almost 50% From 2020–2022
    Safety

    U.S. Sales of E-Cigarettes Climbed Almost 50% From 2020–2022

    As overall monthly unit sales of e-cigarettes increased by 46.6% from January 2020–December 2022, according to June 2023 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco cessation advocates continue to fight an uphill battle. Purchases grew from 15.5 million units to 22.7 million units in the study period.

    August 07, 2023
    Biden-Harris Administration Launches Initiative to Improve Cancer Outcomes in Low-Income Areas
    Health Policy

    Biden-Harris Administration Launches Initiative to Improve Cancer Outcomes in Low-Income Areas

    Alleviating the effects of persistent poverty on cancer outcomes requires building research capacity, fostering cancer prevention research, and promoting the implementation of community-based programs. To enhance the United States’ capacity to do so, the Biden-Harris administration awarded $50 million in June 2023 to create five new Centers for Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas that will advance the Cancer Moonshot’s priorities.

    July 27, 2023
    ONS Member Fights Health Inequities at State Level as Assistant Director of Illinois Department of Public Health
    Patient Advocacy

    ONS Member Fights Health Inequities at State Level as Assistant Director of Illinois Department of Public Health

    ONS member Janice Phillips, PhD, RN, CENP, FAAN, took the reins as the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDHP’s) latest assistant director in July 2023. Her new role positions Phillips, a longtime ONS advocate, to eliminate health disparities and inequities by establishing and strengthening collaboration between IDPH and community partners across the state.

    July 26, 2023
    Legislators Reintroduce Bill to Cut Prescription Drug Costs for Older Adults
    Patient Financial Advocacy

    Legislators Reintroduce Bill to Cut Prescription Drug Costs for Older Adults

    In bipartisan, bicameral effort to help older adults save money when choosing a Medicare healthcare plan, Senators Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), and Tom Carper (D-DE) and Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Brad Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH), reintroduced the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Part D Choice Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate in May 2023. The legislation allows Medicare-only PACE participants to choose between the PACE Part D plan or a standalone Medicare Part D plan without incurring high Part D premiums.

    July 25, 2023
    Congress Introduces Legislation to Train Graduate Nursing Students and Get Them Practicing in Diverse Communities
    Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN)

    Congress Introduces Legislation to Train Graduate Nursing Students and Get Them Practicing in Diverse Communities

    Recognizing the critical need to expand advanced practices RNs’ education and training and geographically diverse work opportunities, especially in rural and underserved communities, Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Steven Horsford (D-NV) introduced the Educating Future Nurses Act in the U.S. House of Representatives in May 2023. At the same time, Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced the legislation in the U.S. Senate.

    July 24, 2023
    United States and European Union Form Joint Task Force to Tackle Global Health Issues
    Cancer Health Disparities

    United States and European Union Form Joint Task Force to Tackle Global Health Issues

    Joining two powerful entities may be what it takes to overcome cancer and global health threats and improve health architecture around the world. In May 2023, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and the European Union Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides announced that the countries had formed the EU–U.S. Health Task Force, a new joint effort to address global health.

    July 13, 2023
    Nurse Cosponsors Resolution on Telehealth in the U.S. House of Representatives
    Access to Cancer Care

    Nurse Cosponsors Resolution on Telehealth in the U.S. House of Representatives

    A geriatric nurse practitioner who served as a Navy helicopter pilot in the Persian Gulf through two deployments, U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA) introduced new legislation that would allow more providers to use telehealth services, expanding access and reducing barriers for their patients.

    July 12, 2023
    CDC Releases New Data on Cancer Rates Through 2020
    Cancer Research

    CDC Releases New Data on Cancer Rates Through 2020

    After remaining largely stable from 2011–2019, cancer incidence rates dropped sharply in 2020 while mortality remained level, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its 2023 U.S. Cancer Statistics report.

    July 11, 2023
    U.S. Senators Introduce Legislation for Earlier Palliative Care
    Palliative Care

    U.S. Senators Introduce Legislation for Earlier Palliative Care

    Patients must receive palliative care earlier in their disease trajectory, while they’re still in active treatment, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Deb Fischer (R-NE) said. Working in rare bipartisan fashion, in June 2023 they reintroduced the Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act to pay for Medicare beneficiaries to receive comprehensive palliative care services concurrently with curative therapy.

    July 10, 2023
    A Decade of Research Reminds Advocates That Awareness Is the First Step for Tobacco Reduction
    Patient Safety

    A Decade of Research Reminds Advocates That Awareness Is the First Step for Tobacco Reduction

    Ushering in a new field of study called tobacco regulatory research, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Tobacco Regulatory Science Program (TRSP) funded its first 14 Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science in 2013. Ten years later, David M. Murray, PhD, associate director of the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Disease Prevention, highlighted TRSP’s decade of research discoveries—but reinforced the need for continued research and advocacy on tobacco use.

    June 29, 2023
    White House Appoints Mandy Cohen as New CDC Director
    Patient Advocacy

    White House Appoints Mandy Cohen as New CDC Director

    Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, both the Trump and Biden-Harris administrations used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a primary authority to collect and disseminate information about the virus. Although the public initially lauded the agency’s efforts, the changing protocols and communication directions. In Washington, DC’s, often-polarizing political environment, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, bore the brunt of the blame, and in May 2023, she announced her resignation effective June 30.

    June 28, 2023
    Nurses Report Significant Experiences and Perceptions of Discrimination
    Nurse Well-Being

    Nurses Report Significant Experiences and Perceptions of Discrimination

    Nearly 80% of nurses have witnessed or been victims of racism or discrimination from patients—and nearly 60% from colleagues—according to a May 2023 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report published in partnership with the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

    June 27, 2023
    U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Jerry Moran Reintroduce Oral Parity for Cancer Drugs Bill
    Patient Financial Advocacy

    U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Jerry Moran Reintroduce Oral Parity for Cancer Drugs Bill

    Equal reimbursement for oral versus IV anticancer agents—also known as oral parity—has been a legislative priority for ONS since the first bill was introduced in the U.S. Congress eight years ago. Working through ONS’s broad coalitions, ONS members have championed patient access to oral anticancer therapies to the seven remaining states without a similar law on the books. Building on that work, on June 15, 2023, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced the bipartisan Cancer Drug Parity Act to further support that goal.

    June 26, 2023
    Biomarker Testing Changes Treatment Plans, State Legislations Change Laws for Survivorship

    Biomarker Testing Changes Treatment Plans, State Legislations Change Laws for Survivorship

    Biomedical breakthroughs for cancer have enhanced research and discovery at record rates, giving patients extraordinary survivorship opportunities. It is a remarkable, unprecedented time. At the vanguard of understanding is the role of biomarkers and identifying each patient’s unique cancer signature through biomarker testing. Through the testing process, patients and providers can better determine an appropriate, individualized treatment path.

     

    June 22, 2023
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    To discuss the information in this article with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.

    To report a content error, inaccuracy, or typo, email pubONSVoice@ons.org.

    content['#byline_profile'].image_alt_text
    Alec Stone MA, MPA, Former ONS Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy

    Alec Stone served as the ONS director of government affairs and advocacy from September 2010–September 2023.
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