Kucinich, Burton and Young Lead Bipartisan Appeal to Protect Men from Prostate Cancer

Press Release

Congressmen Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Dan Burton (R-IN) and Don Young (R-AK) organized a bipartisan group of 44 Members of Congress to urge Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to reject a recommendation by the United States Preventive Task Force (USPTF) that healthy men should not receive a blood test to screen for prostate cancer.

"We write to express our strong concern with the draft recommendation released by the United States Preventive Task Force (USPSTF­) on October 7, 2011 that healthy men should not receive a blood test to screen for prostate cancer. For tens of thousands of American men over age 50 who rely on Medicare coverage, the choice to have a single blood test can mean the difference between living out their golden years with an opportunity for good health or enduring the curse of prostate cancer. …

"One in six men will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetimes and more than 30,000 American men still die from it annually. The disease is especially deadly for three groups: African American men, those with a family history of the disease and men over age 65. Moreover, there is substantial evidence which shows that screening helps catch the presence of prostate cancer early. The test saves lives," wrote Kucinich, et al.

The letter was signed by: Representatives Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Dan Burton (R-IN), Don Young (R-AK), Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Joe Baca (D-CA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Michael Burgess (R-TX), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Andre Carson (D-IN), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Gerald Connolly (D-VA), John Conyers (D-MI), Danny Davis (D-IL), Eliot Engle (D-NY), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Holden (D-PA), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Billy Long (R-MO), Michael Michaud (D-ME), James Moran (D-VA), Tim Murphy (R-PA), Randy Neugebauer (R-TX), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Bill Posey (R-FL), David Price (D-NC), Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Jon Runyan (R-NJ), Bobby Rush (D-IL), David Scott (D-GA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Frank Wolf (R-VA) and John Yarmuth (D-KY).