Supporters of House Bill 567 say the testing can help doctors better understand a patient's specific cancer and identify more targeted treatment options based on a person's specific cancer tissue. Advocates and physicians say the testing can be critical for patient outcomes.
The event was held as part of Cancer Action Day in North Carolina and focused on building support for the bill, which passed the House with near-unanimous support during the last legislative session.
The proposal would expand access to more types of biomarker testing by reducing barriers advocates say currently exist between health insurers and patients seeking the care. Supporters say the measure would make the testing more accessible and affordable for North Carolinians.
Rep. Grant Campbell, a Republican representing District 83 and a sponsor of the bill, said the testing can improve outcomes for patients while also lowering long-term treatment costs.
"These actually can direct care and improve patient outcomes," Campbell said. "I think the reason it's important is not only that, but in the end, these will be cost effective because people to get the right treatment the first time, they're not get two or three more treatments, they're walking away cured."
Among those advocating for the legislation was Ethan Davis, a Winston-Salem man who described how targeted treatment changed his experience battling brain cancer after doctors identified the gene they said was driving his illness.
"I literally remember waking up the first day after starting this medication feeling like a completely different person," Davis said. "I felt like my life had come back in a way, it was almost immediate the effect that it had, getting off of traditional chemo medications and getting on a gene therapy."
Advocates said biomarker testing can help some patients avoid traditional chemotherapy and reduce severe side effects by allowing for more personalized treatment plans.
Supporters of the bill said Tuesday's event was aimed at increasing awareness and building momentum ahead of a possible Senate vote on the legislation.