Letter from America

Black men in the United States die from prostate cancer at a rate 140% higher than men of any other racial or ethnic group. This is the largest racial disparity for any type of cancer. On March 29th, 2007 Congressman Gregory Meeks introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to designate prostate cancer as an epidemic among African American men.

100 members of the House signed as co-sponsors to this legislation. On this same date Thomas Farrington, founder and president of the Prostate Health Education Network, a non-profit organisation, started to increase prostate health education and awareness among black men and others who are at high risk for prostate cancer, presented before an FDA advisory committee that was considering the approval of the first ever prostate cancer vaccine.

During Farrington's testimony before the FDA advisory committee he stated that "During its deliberations, we also ask that the committee strongly consider the urgent needs of a segment of the U.S. population that is suffering from prostate cancer at epidemic levels. If the entire U.S. population was enduring the same prostate cancer death rate as black American men, would there not be an all out urgency to quickly bring to market treatments that could help reduce suffering and extend life?

This critical condition in black American communities today is real, and we are due the same valuation on our lives and urgency of action. We ask that the committee both understand and accept that another important reason for approval of the new vaccine, because it is needed to help fight the ravages of an epidemic level condition in a segment of our nation's population..."