Friends of Cancer Research (FOCR) (Multiple Cancer)

Ellen V. Sigal/ Jeff Allen. Ellen V. Sigal, PhD, is Chairperson and Founder of Friends of Cancer Research (Friends), a cancer research think tank and advocacy organization based in the Washington, DC.

Friends is a leader in developing partnerships and advocating for policies that will get treatments and therapies to patients in the safest and quickest way possible. Friends works with federal health agencies, Congressional… See full bio.

Dec 19, 2011

For the list of our full board member, click here Read More.

Story: Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) is a cancer research think tank and advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. Friends is a leader in developing partnerships and advocating for policies that will get treatments and therapies to patients in the safest and quickest way possible. Working with federal health agencies, congressional leadership, academic research centers and private sector industry, Friends continues to create innovative educational, policy, and scientific approaches to improve health outcomes and cancer care. Founded to mark the 25th Anniversary of the National Cancer Act, Friends set out to organize highly effective public policy forums that bring together researchers, leaders of the FDA, NCI, and NIH, industry, elected officials, and patients to discuss critical issues and develop collaborative strategies to assist in the translation of research to treatments and therapies. When she founded the organization in 1996, Dr. Ellen Sigal saw a compelling need to increase public awareness and support for cancer research and for increased scientific capacity across all federal health agencies. At that time Ellen was a Presidential Appointee to the National Cancer Advisory Board along with Marlene Malek, who joined Ellen in 1996 as President of Friends. Friends of Cancer Research began tackling their mission by holding educational “town halls” across the nation, bringing leaders from science, industry, and academia to the district or home state of key members of congress. By doing so Ellen and Marlene were able to not only educate Senators and Congressmen and women, but create new champions for biomedical research. Now, 15 years later, Friends of Cancer Research continues to expand upon its expertise in developing unique partnerships and creating a more open dialogue among both public and private sectors. As a respected independent think tank, Friends is able to cut through bureaucratic red tape, put aside partisan politics and engage all stakeholders, producing real results.

Evidence of Impact Summary:

Friends of Cancer Research has had a particularly strong influence on pushing for policy changes among Congress and government agencies.
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Organization Strengths Summary:

According to experts, FOCR has been effective because of its good staff and leadership and the collaborations that it has pursued.
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Areas for Improvement Summary:

Experts have voiced concerns over the relatively low visibility of the organization and the lack of diversity of funding sources.
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Ellen V. Sigal, PhD, is Chairperson and Founder of Friends of Cancer Research (Friends), a cancer research think tank and advocacy organization based in the Washington, DC.

Friends is a leader in developing partnerships and advocating for policies that will get treatments and therapies to patients in the safest and quickest way possible. Friends works with federal health agencies, Congressional leadership, academic research centers and private sector industry producing real results.

Dr. Sigal is Vice Chair of the inaugural board of directors of the Reagan‐Udall Foundation, a partnership designed to modernize medical product development, accelerate innovation, and enhance product safety in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She serves on the Board of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health where she chairs its Public‐Private Partnerships Committee.

In 2010, Dr. Sigal was appointed to a six year term on the Board of Governors of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) as a representative of patients and health consumers.

She also holds leadership positions with a broad range of cancer advocacy, public policy organizations, and academic health centers including: the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation Board; Research!America Board; M. D. Anderson Cancer Center External Advisory Board, the Duke University Cancer Center Board of Overseers, and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Advisory Council.

During her more than twenty year commitment to cancer research, Dr. Sigal has served in a number of critical public positions. She served on the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors from 2003‐2009, and the National Institutes of Health Director’s Council of Public Representatives from 2003−2006. She was a Presidential Appointee to the National Cancer Advisory Board from 1992‐1998, where she chaired the Budget and Planning Committee that oversees the federal cancer budget. In 1998, Dr. Sigal was named Vice Chairman of the Board of The March, a national grassroots advocacy group that brought thousands of volunteers to Washington to liaise with Congress and to set a new advocacy agenda for cancer research and treatment. She is a past member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Foundation Board. Dr. Sigal has also been instrumental in harnessing the energies of Hollywood on behalf of cancer research, serving as President of The Creative Community Task Force for Cancer Research."Ellen V. Sigal, PhD, is Chairperson and Founder of Friends of Cancer Research (Friends), a cancer research think tank and advocacy organization based in the Washington, DC.

Friends is a leader in developing partnerships and advocating for policies that will get treatments and therapies to patients in the safest and quickest way possible. Friends works with federal health agencies, Congressional leadership, academic research centers and private sector industry producing real results.

Dr. Sigal is Vice Chair of the inaugural board of directors of the Reagan‐Udall Foundation, a partnership designed to modernize medical product development, accelerate innovation, and enhance product safety in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She serves on the Board of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health where she chairs its Public‐Private Partnerships Committee.

In 2010, Dr. Sigal was appointed to a six year term on the Board of Governors of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) as a representative of patients and health consumers.

She also holds leadership positions with a broad range of cancer advocacy, public policy organizations, and academic health centers including: the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation Board; Research!America Board; M. D. Anderson Cancer Center External Advisory Board, the Duke University Cancer Center Board of Overseers, and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Advisory Council.

During her more than twenty year commitment to cancer research, Dr. Sigal has served in a number of critical public positions. She served on the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors from 2003‐2009, and the National Institutes of Health Director’s Council of Public Representatives from 2003−2006. She was a Presidential Appointee to the National Cancer Advisory Board from 1992‐1998, where she chaired the Budget and Planning Committee that oversees the federal cancer budget. In 1998, Dr. Sigal was named Vice Chairman of the Board of The March, a national grassroots advocacy group that brought thousands of volunteers to Washington to liaise with Congress and to set a new advocacy agenda for cancer research and treatment. She is a past member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Foundation Board. Dr. Sigal has also been instrumental in harnessing the energies of Hollywood on behalf of cancer research, serving as President of The Creative Community Task Force for Cancer Research./

Jeff Allen, Ph.D. serves as the Executive Director of Friends of Cancer Research (Friends), a cancer research think tank and advocacy organization based in the Washington, D.C. area. Working with the entire cancer research and advocacy community, Friends pioneers innovative public‐private partnerships, organizes critical policy forums, educates the public, and brings together key stakeholders to overcome the barriers standing between patients and the most promising cancer treatments.

   Prior to joining Friends, Dr. Allen was an endocrinology fellow in the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Heath.  His background in cancer research focused upon molecular changes associated with cancer formation as well as treatments to prevent cancer progression. Dr. Allen has been published in numerous medical journals, including his work relating to prostate cancer, in AACR’s “Cancer Research.”

   Dr. Allen serves on C‐Change’s Chemoprevention Advisory Committee, Patent Law Advisory Subcommittee and the Clinical Trials and Biomarker Workgroup. Allen is also a member of the National Health Council FDA Issue Team, serves on the Global Access Project of the National Patient Advocacy Foundation, and was recently named to the National Cancer Institute Director’s Consumer Liaison Group federal advisory committee.  Jeff is also a foremost expert on Comparative Effectiveness Research and recently served as the organizing author of a 2009 report, ""Improving Medical Decisions Through Comparative Effectiveness Research: Cancer as a Case Study"" co‐authored by a 25 member academic committee."

Dec 19, 2011

For the list of our full board member, click here