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SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW OF CANCER RESEARCH APPLICATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
11/17/2012
For Release November 17, 2012 :
Cancer advocate Sarah Wise Miller, a member of the Kidney Cancer Association’s governing board, recently participated in the evaluation of research applications submitted to the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) sponsored by the Department of Defense. Ms. Wise was nominated for participation in the program by the Association. As a consumer reviewer, she was a full voting member, along with prominent scientists, at meetings to help determine how the $12.8 million appropriated by Congress for Fiscal Year 2012 (FY12) will be spent on future cancer research. Topic areas of research applications for the program this year included blood, colorectal, kidney, genetic, and pancreatic cancers, pediatric brain tumors, and mesothelioma.
Consumer reviewers are asked to represent the collective view of patients, family members, and persons at risk for cancer when they prepare comments on the impact of the research on issues such as disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Commenting on serving as a consumer reviewer, Ms. Wise said that the experience was valuable and exceeded her expectations.
Consumer advocates and scientists have worked together since 2009 in this unique partnership to evaluate the scientific merit of cancer research applications focused on the specifically designated cancers with relevance to military service members and their families and the American public. Colonel Jeffrey C. Leggit, M.D., Director of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, expressed his appreciation for the perspectives of the consumer advocates in the scientific review sessions. "The Consumer Reviewers on each panel are instrumental in helping the scientists understand the patient's perspective and provide valuable insight into the potential impact of the proposed project. They bring with them a sense of urgency and remind all of the human element involved in medical research."
The mission of the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program is to foster the next generation of cancer research by providing new investigators opportunities to excel in groundbreaking cutting-edge research for the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer.
More information about the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program is available at the Website: http://cdmrp.army.mil.
Sarah Wise Miller
Media Contact:
Gail Whitehead, Public Affairs, 301-619-7783