Project Community
Welcome to the Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) Project Community webpage! Our focus is to empower patients with cancer, survivors, advocates, and consumers. This page features news and information about Project Community, OCE’s efforts and accomplishments under this initiative, and related updates. Additional resources are also included.
What is Project Community?
Project Community is a national initiative going “beyond the beltway” to introduce the work of FDA oncologists and hematologists (cancer doctors) to people in the community.
Our primary audience includes survivors, patients, advocates, families and others in underserved or under-represented urban and rural communities who live with heightened cancer risk.
Project Community’s main objectives:
- Increasing minority participation in clinical trials
- Increasing knowledge and minority participation in genetic databases
To encourage healthy people and patients seeking an opportunity to help advance cancer research, Project Community produced a 3-minute video.
What is Precision Medicine?
Project Community Chicago, IL
More than 100 Chicago-area residents attended the Project Community meeting during Black History Month organized in conjunction with PeerPlus Education and Training Associates and the University of Illinois Patient Brigade. “Community Engagement with the Community in Mind: A Conversation about the Facts, Figures, and Diversity in Oncology” was well-attended. The meeting was designed as an opportunity to educate underserved and under-represented community members about the need to increase cancer clinical trial enrollment and oncology precision medicine genomic database contributions by minority ethnic groups.
Project Community audiences will be asked to provide input to better shape OCE’s patient engagement efforts and build a more patient-centered vision for the future. Examples of Project Community’s 2019 bi-coastal external outreach include:
Project Community Oakland, CA
Leading a community-based town hall conversation entitled “The Benefits of Genetic Research” where community members were intent on capturing the information OCE oncologists/hematologists discussed. The meeting took place at the Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, CA.
Project Community Orangeburg, SC
Participating in a community meeting collaboration with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) during a “MOVENUP Train the Trainer” cancer education session at the Williams Chapel AME Church in Orangeburg, SC.
Download & Print Project Community “Cancer Q & A” Brochures Here:
Alternatives to Using Placebos in Cancer Clinical Trials (1.5MB PDF)
What is Precision Oncology? (2.6MB PDF)
Does Your Community Organization Work with Cancer Researchers?
Certain groups working in cancer health equity and special populations are encouraged to explore OCE Scientific Interest Areas in the FDA Broad Agency Announcement . They include, but aren’t limited to:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU),
- Minority Institutions (MI),
- Small Business concerns,
- Small Disadvantaged Business concerns,
- Women-Owned Small Business concerns,
- Veteran-Owned Small Business concerns,
- Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business concerns,
- and HUB Zone Small Business concerns
If your cancer research organization is interested, see OCE’s Scientific Collaborative opportunities.
Additional Information:
- FDA Oncology Center of Excellence
- FDA Resources for Patients With Cancer
- About FDA Patient Engagement
Connect With Us!
Twitter: #OCEProjectCommunity
Email: OCE-Engagement@fda.hhs.gov
Do you have a Patient Inquiry for FDA?
