Virginia Cancer fund legislation announced

By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley

Del. Franklin P. Hall (D-Richmond) announced today at a news conference at a Virginia Commonwealth University cancer research laboratory that he will introduce legislation in the upcoming state General Assembly session to create a new state income tax check-off to support promising research at the VCU Massey Cancer Center and the University of Virginia Cancer Center.

The cancer centers are two of only 61 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers in the United States, making them important resources in Virginia for cancer research, clinical trials and treatment. 

“With the decline in state funding, the scarcity of resources, and the difficulty in attracting and maintaining the quality of researchers, medical personnel and state-of-the-art technology required to maintain that NCI designation, we are all looking for a way to ensure that this good thing continues,” Hall said.  

Hall said he has bipartisan support for the legislation, which would give taxpayers the option to make a voluntary donation of part of their state income tax refund to the new Virginia Cancer Research fund.  

The proposed legislation would provide a continuing stream of revenue for the fund, which in turn would allow the cancer research centers to leverage additional dollars for translational research – quickly taking research from the lab to the patient.

“As physicians and scientists who work with patients and work in the laboratory, our researchers are keenly aware that the faster we can move some discoveries from the labs to the patient bedside for new treatments and prevention of cancer, the more lives we can save in Virginia as well as the nation,” said Dr. Gordon D. Ginder, VCU Massey Cancer Center director.

Proceeds from the tax check-off would go into the new research fund to be divided evenly between the VCU Massey and UVA cancer centers.  There are more than 350 scientists at VCU and UVA focused on new cures and treatments of cancer.  

“This is really important legislation because it will allow all the citizens of Virginia in a reasonably easy way to contribute to an important cause, which is cancer research,” said Dr. Tom O’Leary, associate director of the UVA Cancer Center.

Gov. Mark Warner has included $50,000 in his proposed budget to launch the new Virginia Cancer Research fund.  Tax check-off proceeds would begin to flow to the fund in January 2005.