US cancer death rate fall encourages PhRMA

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has expressed its encouragement from the release of data by the American  Cancer Society concerning the decline of cancer death rates. Billy  Tauzin, the PhRMA's president, who is also a cancer survivor, said: "the  modest decline is further evidence that prevention, healthy lifestyles  and proper treatments are effective methods in the fight against this  deadly disease that touches so many Americans."

Mr Tauzin repeated his "strong support" for US President Barack Obama's  call to "cure cancer in our lifetime." The PhRMA president added: "to  achieve the President's lofty goal, the development of innovative new  medicines is critically important. America's pharmaceutical research and  biotechnology companies currently are developing 861 new medicines and  vaccines to fight various forms of cancer. These include 122 for lung  cancer...70 for colorectal cancer...and 103 for prostate cancer."