A new survey shows that the overwhelming majority of Americans (85%)
report cancer research is important to them; however, only 15 percent
are knowledgeable about Immuno-Oncology – a rapidly evolving area of
research that seeks to harness the body’s own immune system to help
fight cancer.
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To raise awareness of this new area of science, two-time Emmy®
award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet, of television’s hit comedy “Modern
Family,” has teamed up with Bristol-Myers Squibb to launch Ready.
Raise. Rise. – a national campaign that informs people of the
rapidly evolving research and taps into the collective power of social
media platforms to share information about Immuno-Oncology and raise
money to support the cancer community.
“Like many Americans, my life has been touched by cancer too many times,
and I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact the disease has on
families and friendships,” said Eric Stonestreet. “Over the last several
decades, we’ve seen great progress and innovation in cancer research,
which is why I’ve joined Ready. Raise. Rise. This campaign
aims to raise awareness of research like Immuno-Oncology and honors our
friends, family members and loved ones who have fought so bravely
against cancer."
As part of the campaign, Stonestreet is asking people to
go to ReadyRaiseRise.com
to create a flag in honor of someone who has been affected by cancer –
whether it be themselves or a loved one. Each person who raises a flag
can select a cancer advocacy organization they wish to support and share
their flag on social media using the hashtag #raiseyourflag. The three
advocacy groups with the most flags raised on their behalf will receive
a charitable donation of $25,000, $50,000 and $75,000 from Bristol-Myers
Squibb.
“Immuno-Oncology research has the potential to change our approach to
fighting cancer today,” said Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, chief of medical
oncology and hematology at St. Luke’s Cancer Center in Bethlehem, PA,
and professor of medicine at Temple University School of Medicine in
Philadelphia, PA. “It is different from other options – surgery,
radiation and chemotherapy – because Immuno-Oncology aims to work with
the body’s own natural defenses to help fight the disease. It is
important that this discussion continues to gain momentum so that more
people learn about this innovative cancer research and the possibility
to provide a longer life for patients.”
The national survey revealed that while 86 percent of Americans believe
progress is being made in cancer research, nearly all (93%) believe more
information needs to be available about different types of cancer
approaches. Other survey results showed:
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Only 39 percent know that the immune system can help to fight some
cancers
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Yet, one in three Americans (33%) find the concept of Immuno-Oncology
research – harnessing the body’s immune system to help attack cancer –
the most exciting approach to fighting cancer
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The vast majority of Americans (87%) want to learn more about this
research
“Bristol-Myers Squibb is dedicated to fighting cancer, both through our
robust research and discovery programs in Immuno-Oncology and also by
empowering patients and caregivers with the knowledge to make the most
informed decisions,” said Joseph Leveque, MD, vice president, Oncology,
U.S. Medical, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “We hope that Ready. Raise.
Rise. will help educate the public about advances in cancer
research, recognize patients and scientists who have contributed to the
tremendous developments in this area, instill hope throughout the cancer
community and inspire continued progress for the future.”
Immuno-Oncology at Bristol-Myers Squibb
While surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy continue to represent the
standard of cancer care, the potential for a longer life has remained
elusive for patients with advanced cancer.
To address this unmet medical need, Bristol-Myers Squibb is leading
research in an innovative field of cancer research known as
Immuno-Oncology, which involves agents whose primary mechanism aims to
work directly with the body’s immune system to help fight cancer. The
company is exploring a variety of compounds and immunotherapeutic
approaches for patients with different types of cancer, including
researching the potential of combining Immuno-Oncology agents that
target different and complementary pathways in the treatment of cancer.
Bristol-Myers Squibb is committed to advancing the science of
Immuno-Oncology, with the goal of offering the potential for a longer
life and a renewed sense of hope for patients with advanced cancer.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global pharmaceutical company whose mission is
to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients
prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers
Squibb, visit www.bms.com,
or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmsnews.
About the Survey and TNS
TNS conducted the survey. TNS, the world’s largest custom research
agency, is a well- recognized research group for their quality and
authoritative research.
Participants in the 11-question, self-administered online omnibus survey
were a nationally-representative sample of 2,500 Americans 18 years of
age and older. The study was conducted from February 12, 2015 – February
16, 2015 using the field services of TNS. The margin of sampling error
for total Americans at the 95% level of confidence is ±1.9%. The margin
of sampling error for Americans who are cancer sufferers/survivors at
the 95% level of confidence is ±6.7%. Data are weighted to reflect
accurate representation of the population.
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