Issue 15 – The Cancer Letter

“ONE GOAL” VS. ANOTHER
MD Anderson claims trademark infringement by Ohio state’s fundraiser
Every August, cyclists sign up for the Pelotonia ride that meanders through Ohio’s rolling hills.
More than just an enjoyable sporting event, Pelotonia, which benefits Ohio State, is one of the most successful fundraisers run for any cancer center. Over the past eight years, bikers who get sponsorship to ride up to 180 miles have brought in over $130 million for The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard Solove Research Institute.
Conversation with the Cancer Letter
Doug Ulman: MD Anderson trademark lawsuit is a frustrating “distraction from our core mission”
MD Anderson Cancer Center’s complaint against Pelotonia, filed Oct. 5, 2016, argues that the Ohio cancer fundraiser’s use of the slogan “One Goal: End Cancer” infringes on the Houston hospital’s “One goal. Stop cancer.” registered trademark.
Pelotonia funds 11 additional Ohio State cancer research projects
Eleven cancer research ideas have received funding from Pelotonia, the annual cycling event that has raised more than $130 million for cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
Guest Editorial
How not to develop a medical intervention: Learning from the prostate screening debacle
This week, the USPSTF issued its draft guidelines for prostate cancer screening. They propose shifting from task force’s recommendation against routine prostate cancer screening to a recommendation for informed and shared decision-making in which the physician and patient discuss the real risks of harm and the potential for life saving benefit before deciding on screening.
Permanent advisory board needed to combat scientific misconduct, NAS report recommends
Scientific organizations should establish an advisory board that would have the overarching mandate to foster research integrity across disciplines.
U.S. cancer costs add up to $87.8 billion; Patients pay $4 billion out-of-pocket
Cancer patients in the U.S. paid nearly $4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2014 and the disease cost the country $87.8 billion in cancer-related health care spending, a report by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network found.
ASCO says “right-to-try” laws don’t safeguard patients and fail to address problems in obtaining therapies
The American Society of Clinical Oncology said it opposes “right-to-try” laws that allow terminally ill patients to request access to investigational drugs directly from manufacturers, bypassing a layer of review, where FDA assesses the available data to review and benefits of the treatment on behalf of the patient.
In Brief
- Ronald DeMatteo named chair of surgery at University of Pennsylvania
- Ahmad Samer Al-Homsi to lead BMT program at NYU
- Ophira Ginsburg named director of NYU cancer center’s High Risk Program
- Katrina Studvent named chief development officer at Karmanos
Drugs and Targets
- FDA removes restrictions on use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents
- Human Vaccines Project, Vanderbilt and Illumina work to decode human immunome