[Reprinted with Permission of Department of Defense]
TriCare Covers Cost of Cancer Trials
By Douglas J. Gillert
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON -- The Defense Department and National Cancer
Institute have expanded access to clinical trials for DoD health
care beneficiaries.
Since 1996, the DoD/NCI Cancer Clinical Trials Demonstration
Project has provided patients with an opportunity to participate
in NCI-sponsored cancer treatment clinical trials Phases II and
III. They can receive the care either in military medical
facilities or through participating civilian providers. DoD
covers the cost of the trials under its managed health plan,
TRICARE. Now, DoD also will cover the costs for participation in
early detection and prevention clinical trials.
"To underscore our commitment to wellness and prevention, we
feel we must provide reimbursement for clinical trials that
offer some of the most promising advances in cancer prevention
and treatment research," said Dr. Sue Bailey, assistant
secretary of defense for health affairs. "For some TRICARE
beneficiaries with an increased risk of developing cancer, the
experimental trials offer new choices to minimize chances of
developing cancer. It is another way to keep our troops and
families healthy."
Clinical trials are research studies that help find ways to
prevent, diagnose or treat illnesses and improve health care.
People enrolled in the studies receive care that is considered
the latest medicine or therapy but is not yet approved as
standard care.
Two types of prevention clinical trials study ways to reduce the
risk of getting cancer. Action studies focus on finding out
whether actions people take -- exercising more or quitting
smoking, for example -- can prevent cancer. Agent, or
chemoprevention, studies are designed to learn whether taking
certain medicines, vitamins or food supplements can prevent
cancer.
This is the first time any health plan has agreed formally to
cover the cost of clinical cancer prevention trials, according
to Dr. Richard Klausner, NCI director. "This agreement will
become a model for providing access to the best possible health
care for people, while ensuring that cancer research can
continue to make progress," he said.
Nearly 12,000 TRICARE beneficiaries are diagnosed with cancer
each year, Bailey said. Meanwhile, other military patients are
seeking ways to lower their risk.
"Prevention and early detection," she said, "are two of the most
important and effective strategies for reaching the American
Cancer Society's goals of saving lives lost from cancer,
diminishing suffering due to cancer and eliminating cancer as a
major health problem.
"When people hear the words, 'You have cancer,' they experience
a wide and frightening range of emotions. They enter a world of
bewildering choices about treatment, pain management, health
maintenance and financial burden."
This agreement gives DoD patients access to the most promising
advances in cancer research, Bailey said. More than 2,000 sites
throughout the United States, including military hospitals and
clinics, comprehensive and clinical cancer centers, community
hospitals and practices, will conduct the clinical trials. In
some cases, patients may be able to get part of their care from
their own physicians.
To obtain more information about cancer prevention, early
detection or treatment clinical trials covered by the DoD/NCI
demonstration, contact the NCI Cancer Information Service at
(800) 422-6237 or the demonstration coordinator at (800) 779-
3060. Information also is available on the Military Health
