Pillar FAQ's

General Questions
Pillar 1 -- Tobacco Use
Pillar 2 -- Diet & Nutrition
Pillar 3 -- Physical Activity
Pillar 4 -- Prevention, Screening & Early Detection
Pillar 5 -- Access to Quality Treatment & Clinical Trials
What is meant by education and promotion of cancer clinical trials?

This requirement is intended to raise awareness about cancer clinical trials.  It is required that employees be educated about what a cancer clinical trial is, and what it is not, the value of considering participating in a cancer clinical trial, and how to navigate the trials that are available. The decision to participate in a clinical trial - or decline participation - clearly resides with the individual and his or her oncologist. Education should be a sustained effort, so that employees are aware of the value of participation in a clinical trial and will be equipped to make an informed decision should a cancer diagnosis become a reality.
What are some ways that employees might be educated about cancer clinical trials?

An organization may educate its employees about cancer clinical trials using media that work best within the organization (e.g. web, newsletters, brochures, seminars, video etc.). It is recommended that education be directed to cancer caregivers as well.  Gold Standard employers have the permission of the National Cancer Institute to post the NCI bulletin “Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies” on internal company Web sites to raise awareness and educate employees about clinical trials.
What is meant by "removing cost as a barrier" to accessing cancer clinical trials?

The CEO Cancer Gold Standard requires that an organization must remove cost as a barrier to employees who choose to participate in a cancer clinical trial. It does not require that trial participation be covered "at no cost" to the employee.  Rather, the goal is to allow employees to participate in a trial, if it is what they choose and what their physician has recommended, by covering trials in the same manner as any other cancer treatment. An organization must demonstrate that cost is not a valid reason for an employee to not participate in a trial if that is the course of treatment that they prefer.  Note that typically,  the sponsors of trials pay for the investigational treatment.  Covering non-medical costs such as airfare is not a requirement of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard.
Why does the CEO Cancer Gold Standard require that employees have access to cancer treatment at the Commission on Cancer and the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-approved cancer centers?

One goal of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard is to ensure access to quality cancer treatment for employees who are diagnosed with cancer. An organization must provide access to cancer treatment at Commission on Cancer-approved facilities and/or National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers because these two bodies are concerned with the quality of patient care and are committed to reducing the incidence of cancer as well as reducing cancer morbidity and mortality.
Does the requirement to provide access to treatment at Commission on Cancer or NCI-approved cancer centers mean that all of these centers must be covered?

To ensure the availability of quality care, access is required for at least some centers within a reasonable geographic vicinity of where employees live.
What is the National Cancer Institute (NCI)?

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). An important part of NCI's mission is to support a national network of cancer centers.

 

What is the Commission on Cancer?

The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons is dedicated to improving health care for individuals with cancer. They recognize hospitals and health care facilities that have cancer programs that offer high-quality cancer care.

 

What is a clinical trial?

A cancer clinical trial is a research study, conducted with people who volunteer to participate, with the goal of finding better ways to treat cancer.
Is a cancer clinical trial considered a treatment of last resort?

No. Unlike clinical trials for other diseases and conditions, cancer clinical trials rarely involve a placebo. When an effective treatment is already available ("standard of care") participants always receive either that, the new agent or the new agent combined with standard of care therapy.
Why are clinical trials important?

The ever-increasing number of scientific discoveries provide more insights into the causes of cancer, but many successes are limited to the lab. Clinical trials are a critical part of the research process since trial results can lead to better treatments. In other words, trials help move basic scientific research from the lab into treatments for people with cancer.

GOLD STANDARD FOCUS

Read Dr. Leonard Berry’s powerful remarks to the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, September 11, 2009, Philadelphia, PA.
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Learn how CEOs are making a difference in the lives of their employees by implementing the CEO Cancer Gold Standard.  Listen to what employees are saying about the Gold Standard in Their Own Voices.


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Did You Know?

Tobacco use is the number one cause of cancer and the number one cause of preventable death throughout the world.