The Oral Cancer Foundation

US advisers decline to push Gardasil for boys

Source: Reuters.com Author: Maggie Fox * Committee advises that doctors free to use vaccine * Says needs more evidence of cost benefit * Did not consider value in preventing cancer (Updates throughout, adds quotes, share price) WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - U.S. vaccine advisers declined to press for the use of Merck & Co's (MRK.N) Gardasil in boys and men, opting instead on Wednesday to simply advise doctors they are free to use it. Despite some impassioned pleas from patients and doctors alike, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted almost unanimously for "permissive" use of the vaccine for boys. It protects against the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which causes a variety of cancers and genital warts. But the committee did recommend including Gardasil for eligible boys aged 9 to 18 in the Vaccines For Children program, a government-funded system that provides vaccines to children eligible for the state-federal Medicaid health insurance plan and other uninsured children. Merck's shares were down 1.7 percent at $33.16 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends Gardasil for girls 11 and 12 years old and women 13 to 26 who have not been vaccinated. Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Gardasil for preventing genital warts in boys and men ages 9 through 26. The main reason the vaccine was approved was to prevent cervical cancer, which kills 4,000 women a year in the United States alone. But various [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-10-21T14:45:00-07:00October, 2009|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Oral Cancer Foundation to donate screening devices to free clinics

Phoenix’s Native American Community Health Center Is First Recipient of adjunctive screening system Newport Beach, CA - October 5, 2009 The Oral Cancer Foundation recently initiated a program of donating VELscope Oral Cancer Screening Systems to free clinics and others located in, and helping communities with, underserved populations. The first recipient of this program is the Native American Community Health Center, commonly known as Native Heath, in Phoenix, Arizona, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. According to Oral Cancer Foundation executive director Brian Hill, “Our intent is to identify free clinics and health service providers in areas that have a high concentration of people who are both at risk for oral cancer and without the financial means to pay for comprehensive oral exams.” The Foundation is also careful to ensure that any clinic receiving aid in the form of equipment and materials has at least one dentist on staff that is regularly present to see patients. Native Health’s Dental Director, Dr. Mahasin Hangalay, believes it would be hard to find an area with a greater need for regular oral cancer screenings. “The Native American community that we serve has the highest rate of tobacco usage of any major demographic group in the country,” she said, “as well as an extremely high poverty rate and very poor access to health care.” The doctor also noted that because of the reported link between oral cancer and the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus, screenings at the clinic are not just provided to tobacco users, but [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-10-05T15:08:42-07:00October, 2009|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

UCLA awarded Government grant to extended oral cancer research

Source: Privatemdlabs.com Author: Brendan Missett Funding made available from the Obama Administration's stimulus plan will assist the UCLA School of Dentistry in cancer research. The National Institutes of Health awarded more than $5 million to UCLA which will be used toward the construction of a state-of-the-art complex designed to expand the School of Dentistry's research on the detection and treatment of oral cancer. The building will be called the Yip Center for Oral/Head & Neck Oncology Research. In the past three years, the school was awarded close to $30 million in grants for oral cancer research. Construction plans for the complex, which is named after philanthropists Felix and Mildred Yip, have already begun. The construction is expected to conclude in 2013. No-Hee Park, dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry, commented, "This visionary funding will enable the dental school to become a nexus of multidisciplinary, collaborative research." She added that she hopes the school will become the "premier" oral cancer research program in the country. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, oral cancer kills about one person every hour, and only half of oral cancer patients survive for more than 5 years after their diagnosis. The National Cancer Institute recommends oral cancer testing to detect the disease at an early, treatable stage.

Charlotte Parker2009-09-15T15:44:10-07:00September, 2009|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

First ever list of top-rated cancer fighting nonprofits

Source: Hotindienews.com Author: Staff Menlo Park, Calif. — For donors and volunteers looking to support a cancer charity, GreatNonprofits releases the first ever list of top-rated cancer fighting nonprofits. A huge variety of cancer support, education, and advocacy organizations were reviewed during the 2009 GreatNonprofits Cancer Fighters Awards in July. The large diversity of organizations that received reviews combined with the large number of reviews posted, shows the incredible passion and commitment these organizations inspire. “We’re really proud of this,” says Brian Hill, Founder and Executive Director of The Oral Cancer Foundation, which won for top-rated cancer organization with an annual budget below $250,000. “It’s an honest appraisal of metrics of what we’ve accomplished that’s actually human.” Nancy Frank is the Executive Director of the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, the winner among organizations with budgets over $1,000,000. She says, “We were thrilled with the response. We work our little nose to the grindstone every day and this kind of renewed our spirits in this hard year.” The contest, held throughout July, asked people to submit reviews and ratings about nonprofits serving the cancer community. The contest was sponsored by GreatNonprofits, GuideStar and Planet Cancer. The results provide surprising and inspiring insights into the diversity of organizations that are considered effective and important by volunteers, donors and stakeholders of the cancer community. This is the first ever list providing reviews of cancer fighting nonprofits by those who have actually experienced their work. These unique results will be helpful to donors and [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-08-24T22:36:54-07:00August, 2009|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Oral Cancer Foundation praised for its social media efforts

Source: The Oral Cancer Foundation Author: John Pohl Social Media Guru Mashable.com Cites Organizations Using Social Media for Public Good The Oral Cancer Foundation was recently praised by a leading Internet media website in an article discussing non-profit organizations that are effectively using Internet based social media for the public good. Mashable, the world’s largest site focused exclusively on Web 2.0 and social media such as blogs, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, touted the online efforts of several organizations in a recent story entitled, 5 Unique Social Good “Finds”. Other organizations cited included The National Suicide Prevention Hotline and the ASPCA. Founded in July 2005, Mashable is the most prolific source for information and reviews of new websites and services, publishes breaking news on new web developments, and provides social media resources and guides. Mashable's audience includes early adopters and influencers, social media enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, large and small corporations, marketing, PR and advertising agencies, Web 2.0 aficionados, and technology journalists. “We are flattered that our social media efforts have generated the attention and kind words of such a leading edge organization,” said Brian Hill, Founder and Executive Director of the Oral Cancer Foundation. “We dedicate a great deal of time and focus to social media, which we believe allows us to connect with younger members of our audience in a way that is richer, more meaningful, and more relevant than we can achieve using more traditional media. This is particularly important to us, as individuals impacted by oral cancers have been [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-06-30T16:00:34-07:00June, 2009|OCF In The News|

Early detection is the key

Source: Newstime.com Author: Sandra Diamond Fox Standing before nearly 500 graduates of New York University's School of Dentistry at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan last month, two-time Emmy Award nominee Colleen Zenk Pinter stepped forward to accept the Dr. Harry Strusser Memorial Award for public service. While Pinter, 56, was accustomed to being on stage -- for more than 30 years she played the character of Barbara Ryan on CBS' "As The World Turns" -- speaking at NYU's graduation held very special meaning for her. She was being honored for her work in bringing awareness to oral cancer. Little more than two years ago, the Redding resident for 23 years and mother of six received the news that would change her life -- she was diagnosed with stage 2 squamous cell carcinoma of the ventral tongue. Oral cancer. Pinter's nightmare began in 2005 when she noticed a change in her speech. After an examination, her dentist said it was the result of her teeth shifting, which can sometimes occur after age 50. The following summer, when she developed a painful cold sore under her tongue, an oral surgeon eventually diagnosed it as a bacterial and fungal infection. Once the infection was treated, however, a tumor was discovered underneath it. Pinter started researching oral cancer. "I was in shock," she said. "I didn't fit the profile of people who had this type of cancer." Up until recently, oral cancer was often referred to as "the old man's cancer," and was mostly contracted by [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-06-19T09:56:13-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|