HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-14-0343City of Miami
Legislation
Resolution: R-14-0343
City Hall
3500 Pan American
Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 14-00882 Final Action Date: 9/11/2014
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING THE 113TH UNITED
STATES CONGRESS TO ENACT THE "BELLA BILL" TO ADVANCE PEDIATRIC
CANCER RESEARCH; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF
THIS RESOLUTION TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AS STATED HEREIN.
WHEREAS, Bella Rodriguez -Torres was only four (4) years old when she suddenly became
paralyzed overnight and diagnosed with stage four pediatric cancer; and
WHEREAS, despite being given a life expectancy of only a few months, Bella inspirationally
fought her disease for almost six (6) years; and
WHEREAS, Bella's life and legacy have brought great awareness to pediatric cancer, and the
need for greater research and support; and
WHEREAS, pediatric cancer is one of the leading causes of death of children; and
WHEREAS, according to Kids v Cancer, each year, around 13,500 children are diagnosed
with cancer in the United States, the equivalent of more than a classroom of kids a day; and
WHEREAS, about 35,000 children are currently in treatment for cancer, and some twenty-five
percent (25%) of all kids who are diagnosed with cancer die; and
WHEREAS, cancer kills more children than AIDs, asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and
congenital anomalies combined; and
WHEREAS, more children die of cancer every year than did adults in the tragic events on
September 11, 2001; and
WHEREAS, the average age of death for a child with cancer is eight (8), resulting in the
child's loss of sixty-nine (69) years of expected life; and
WHEREAS, funding from both the private sector and the federal government for pediatric
cancer research is scarce; and
WHEREAS, despite significant advances in adult cancer research, there has only been one
(1) drug specifically approved for pediatric cancer in the last twenty (20) years; and
WHEREAS, of the approximately one -hundred twenty (120) new adult cancer therapies
approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") between 1948 and January
2003, only thirty (30) have been shown useful for treatment in children; and
City of Miami
Page 1 of 3 File Id: 14-00882 (Version: 1) Printed On: 1/11/2018
File Number: 14-00882 Enactment Number: R-14-0343
WHEREAS, this disparity in the number of oncology drugs labeled for use in adults, as
opposed to children, is a manifestation of the many challenges pediatric cancer drug development
faces; and
WHEREAS, the "Live Like Bella" Foundation for Childhood Cancer has developed federal
legislation, entitled the "Bella Bill," to address the challenges associated with pediatric cancer drug
development; and
WHEREAS, the "Bella Bill" would offer a unique legislative solution to spark innovation
specifically for pediatric cancer, allowing children to benefit sooner from the vast funding, research,
and innovation that is currently ongoing for adult cancers; and
WHEREAS, the "Bella Bill" would ensure that no one specific entity bears the financial or legal
burden of this important and much needed initiative to help save children's lives; and
WHEREAS, the regulation of new drugs in the United States is based on a New Drug
Application to the FDA, and, for many decades, every new drug has been the subject of a review and
approval process before being made available to the public; and
WHEREAS, the "Bella Bill" would additionally ensure that, as each new cancer drug moves
through the FDA approval process, researchers would test the drug as a possible treatment for the
twelve (12) major types of pediatric cancers; and
WHEREAS, if a new cancer drug shows efficacy against any of these twelve (12) pediatric
cancers, the "Bella Bill" would require further testing of the drug, with the outcomes of the tests
related to pediatric cancer excluded from the final outcomes, so as not to adversely affect the results
for adults, should the pediatric results be negative; and
WHEREAS, this change in how new cancer drugs are reviewed would allow children with
cancer to benefit from cancer drug research sooner and not be left out of new treatment options
because of the advanced status of their diseases; and
WHEREAS, the Miami City Commission would like to express its support for the "Bella Bill,"
and urge Congress to enact the "Bella Bill;"
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted
and incorporated as fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The Miami City Commission urges the members of 113th United States Congress to
enact the "Bella Bill" to advance pediatric cancer research.
Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to Senators Bill
Nelson and Marco Rubio and to all the members of Congress.
Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and signature
of the Mayor.{1}
City of Miami Page 2 of 3 File Id: 14-00882 (Version: 1) Printed On: 1/11/2018
File Number: 14-00882 Enactment Number: R-14-0343
Footnotes:
{1} If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar
days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become
effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission.
City of Miami Page 3 of 3 File Id: 14-00882 (Version: 1) Printed On: 1/11/2018