The Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Screening – Virtual 2020 ALC

By Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, elective medical procedures, including cancer screening, were largely put on hold to prioritize urgent needs and reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 in healthcare settings. One consequence of this has been a substantial decline in cancer screening. This sharp decrease in screenings raises serious concerns that deadly cancers could go undetected. This session will focus on the impact of COVID-19 on cancer screening specifically in the Black community, how social determinants of health impact screening rates, and strategies for restarting screening as appropriate while recognizing that every community is unique. Sponsored by: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

Cancer impacts everyone, but it doesn’t impact everyone equally. We are working to ensure everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, find, treat, and survive cancer. No one should be disadvantaged in their fight against cancer because of how much money they make, the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their gender identity, their disability status, or where they live.

From ensuring greater diversity among clinical trial participants to improving access to quality, affordable health care, we are asking lawmakers to reduce disparities in cancer care by advancing policies that break down existing barriers.

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