PCRI Advocacy

While advocacy is not PCRI’s primary goal, the organization has attained a respected and credible voice in the medical and political public arena. As such, PCRI has judiciously come out in support of worthy prostate cancer related causes to raise awareness, encourage increased research and to expedite FDA approval of new therapies. A few examples include:

• In 2010, PCRI coordinated with “BlueSeptember” to turn several Los Angeles buildings blue to promote prostate cancer awareness.
• Also in 2010, Jan Manarite helped coordinate a petition drive and attendance at a Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) meeting in support of Medicare payments for Provenge, an FDA approved treatment for advanced prostate cancer. PCRI Executive Director Mark Scholz, MD provided expert testimony at the MEDCAC meeting.
• In its efforts to speak and advocate on behalf of patients everywhere, PCRI and its staff have been cited in many news stories published by a number of media organizations including: ABC World News Tonight, The Wall Street Journal, NBC-TV, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times.