Cancer advocates push for biomarker testing in Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF)—Over 50 cancer advocates, including patients, survivors, and caregivers, gathered at the Tennessee State Capitol today to speak with legislators about the importance of biomarker testing in cancer treatment.
The advocates, representing the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), emphasized how this testing can save crucial time in a patient’s fight against cancer.
Currently, 20 states have passed legislation ensuring insurance coverage for biomarker testing, and local advocates hope Tennessee will follow suit.
As part of their efforts, they also discussed the allocation of funds from the JUUL lawsuit settlement, advocating for more financial support for tobacco prevention programs in the state.
Among those speaking with lawmakers was advocate Anthony Xian, a local student from McCallie, who shared his experience meeting with both a senator and a house representative.
Xian highlights the positive reception from legislators, stating, “It has been going really well this morning. I met with two legislators, one senator and one house representative, Bo Watson and Esther. They were both very receptive, and it was great to talk to them and see how they felt about these issues.”
Xian explains that a specialist representative even committed to sponsoring one of the bills related to biomarker testing.
He also notes that Senator Watson expressed strong support for the initiative, pledging to look into the issue further.
Beyond biomarker testing, ACS CAN has been advocating for Tennessee to allocate its JUUL lawsuit settlement funds toward tobacco prevention efforts.
Several states sued JUUL for its role in the youth vaping crisis and settlements varied by state.
Xian emphasizes a major success, revealing, “We got a big win. They are going to allocate $2.6 million from the JUUL settlement funding this year toward the tobacco program. That’s something new that we didn’t mention before.”
This funding is a step forward in the fight against youth vaping, which has seen a significant rise in recent years.
Xian highlights the importance of addressing this issue through policy, stating, “A lot of people don’t know about the harm that vaping could cause them, so I see this as an opportunity to push for legislation that could help the youth.
Xian also underscores the impact young advocates are having on legislators, pointing out that many lawmakers are surprised to hear directly from younger generations on these issues.
“I feel like our generation has had a really strong engagement, which I think is amazing. Many legislators told us, ‘Oh, it’s great to hear from you. We don’t hear this often.’ I think that really impacts them because this is a population that is being directly affected. For us to be able to come up here, tell our personal stories, and leave an impact that’s powerful.”
As Tennessee lawmakers consider biomarker testing legislation and future tobacco prevention funding, advocates like Xian and the ACS CAN volunteers continue to push for policies that improve cancer treatment and public health across the state.
