Legislation requiring a study on women and lung cancer introduced in House, Senate

The bipartisan Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act, which calls for a “comprehensive study on women and lung cancer,” was introduced in the House this week. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-New Jersey) and Rep. Rick Nolan (D-Minnesota) introduced the legislation, while Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Virginia) and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon) joined them as original cosponsors.

A companion piece of legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California).

“Countless individuals across the country have been devastated by lung cancer,” LoBiondo said in a prepared statement. “This is a very personal issue for my family, responsible for the death of both of my wife Tina’s parents. This is a disease that knows no boundaries in who it affects thus we must double our efforts to raise awareness and reduce mortality.”

“This legislation will allow us to make greater progress in battling lung cancer and providing increased access to preventive services that can save lives,” Comstack said in the same statement.

The Lung Cancer Alliance released a statement Wednesday in support of the legislation.

“There is no stronger signal of a commitment to improving the health of women and transforming their medical care than the legislative actions taken today by these bipartisan, Congressional leaders,” Laurie Fenton Ambrose, president and CEO of LCA, said in the statement. “Lung cancer is a women’s health imperative. It behaves differently in women than men, particularly those who have never smoked.