Los Angeles Breast Cancer Alliance (LABCA), working with other advocacy groups, played an important role in the following achievements:
- Breast Cancer Act Of 1993: creation of early detection program, research program and funding for cancer registry
- Tax check-off line on personal income taxes for breast cancer research program (for years 1993 - 1997)
- treatment funding obtained from california endowment in 1994
- Renewal of tax check-off line to 2003
- Treatment "bridge" funding obtained from California Endowment in 1999
- Clinical trials bill passed in 2001
- In 2001, California "opts in" to Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act of 2000: treatment funding in Governor's budget
- Tax check-of line extended to 2008
- Continued funding in Governor's 2002 and 2003 budgets for treatment
- In 2003, a USC DAvis study finds that the Clinical Trial Bill of 2001 has been very effective in reducing barrier to patient participation in clinical trials
The Breast Cancer Research Program provides funding for California scientists to perform innovative research on breast cancer. Advocates have a seat at the table on the governing council that sets the research priorities and makes the final decisions on distribution of the funding and educated breast cancer survivors have an equal vote with the scientists on the panels that review the grants.
Breast Cancer Early Detection Program (Cancer Detection Services: Every Woman Counts)
The Breast Cancer Early Detection Program provides breast cancer screening and diagnosis for those who are under 200% of the poverty level and 40 years of age or older. Breast cancer advocates sit on the advisory committees for the BCEDP partnerships an on the oversight committee in the Department of Health Services.
Cancer Registry
The Cancer Registry has established a cohort of 133,000 teachers and is conducting a prospective study of these teachers. Breast cancer advocates sit on the Advisory Committee for this study.
Treatment Funding
The funding provided by the California Endowment provided treatment for breast and cervical cancer for 18 months.
After passage of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act of 2000 by Congress, Governor Davis included funding for the state match in his budget. This enabled the state to obtain 2 dollars of federal funding for every 1 dollar of state funding. This program provides full MediCal coverage for those women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer by government screening programs.
Clinical Trials
The clinical trials bill provides that insurance companies must pay ordinary patient costs for those patients who participate in clinical trials. Only 3% of adult cancer patients were participating in clinical trials and this was a step in removing one of the barriers to this participation.
UC Davis conducted a study of patient participation in clinical trials before and after passage of this bill. They found that prior to the legislation 8% of patients declined to participate because of insurance concerns. After passage they had no patients decline for this reason. This bill has been successful in increasing participation in clinical trials for cancer.