Too many Granite Staters have experienced first-hand the ravages of cancer. Despite the many incredible advances in medical science, cancer continues to cause tremendous tragedy and the loss of life. In fact, it is the leading cause of death in New Hampshire. Which is why one of my main missions when I served in the State Senate was to educate the public about risk reduction and prevention by creating proactive public policies while offering continuing education to health care professionals. It is critical we change the conversation about cancer by focusing on risk reduction and prevention.

Serving as a state senator, I have witnessed that public policy and science, unfortunately, do not always align. We need more public health policy that promotes and supports cancer prevention, more than 50% of which are preventable.

One example of public health policy shortcomings is that only five, of more than 100 types of cancers, currently have recommended early screenings. This is especially problematic for seniors, who are at a higher risk of developing cancers than other demographics. New Hampshire’s aging population and high level of annual cancer deaths sadly bares this truth out. To put things in perspective, more than twice as many Granite Staters die from cancer each year than have died from COVID-19 in the past year. This is unacceptable.With more than half these deaths preventable, this situation must and can change, here and throughout the United States. This can be accomplished by enacting proactive health policies that focus on cancer prevention.

One such opportunity exists and deserves the support of the entire Congressional Delegation. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be reviewing new, promising cancer detection technology that can detect many deadly cancers through a simple blood draw with a high degree of accuracy. Policymakers need to help make these breakthrough early-detection technologies accessible to the public. An important starting point to creating access to these life-saving technologies is a piece of bipartisan legislation, the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Act, which was recently reintroduced in the U.S. House and Senate. The legislation allows for Medicare to cover these cancer screening innovations once they are approved by the FDA.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden has publicly stated that she and the President have made it their mission to end cancer as we know it.These emerging Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) technologies can significantly assist the nation in achieving that goal. Experience demonstrates that early screenings through tests such as mammograms, colonoscopies and pap smears save lives by identifying cancer early. MCED would allow for early screening of dozens of additional deadly cancer types with one blood drawing, greatly increasing access to early detection for seniors and underserved populations.

These are all reasons why more than 300 cancer advocacy organizations, including many in New Hampshire, signed onto a letter supporting the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Act.

Cancer has touched all of our lives in many different ways – none of them good. To change the paradigm of public policy from cancer awareness and treatment to risk reduction and prevention, we all need to actively communicate with policymakers, elected officials, healthcare professionals and educators, and express support for change to save lives. The Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Act is a positive step toward increased cancer prevention. I respectfully urge the entire delegation to support this important legislation.

Bette Lasky is a former state senator from Nashua.