Inside Pennsylvania’s groundbreaking insurance bill in support of male breast cancer

 A DISEASE WITHOUT A FACE

For generations, breast cancer has been branded a woman’s disease — symbolized in pink ribbons, celebrated in women’s marches, and enshrined in medical protocols that largely overlooked one undeniable fact: men get breast cancer too.

It’s a silent crisis. Each year, thousands of men are diagnosed with breast cancer, many at later stages due to cultural bias, lack of awareness, and a clinical system ill-equipped to serve them. The consequences are devastating, yet until recently, little had been done to dismantle the barriers facing male patients.

That changed this year in Pennsylvania, where a legislative victory sought to make insurance coverage for breast cancer testing and screening gender-inclusive. But this is more than a legal footnote — it’s part of a global crusade led by advocates like Cheri Ambrose, CEP of the Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance, and Dr. Robert Bard, a diagnostic imaging pioneer, who have made it their mission to unmask the bias baked into cancer care and demand better for men everywhere.

 

THE BATTLE FOR RECOGNITION

The road to House Bill 433 was neither swift nor easy. In October 2023, Ambrose stumbled upon a bill that sought to waive out-of-pocket costs for breast and ovarian cancer genetic testing — but only for women. “It was one of those moments where you stop and think, ‘How is this still happening?’” she recalled.

Ambrose, who has spent over a decade advocating for men with breast cancer, refused to stay silent. She contacted state legislators, campaigned for amendments, and made the case for gender-neutral language. “We’re not asking for special treatment,” she explained. “We’re asking to be included.”

The bill’s passage marked what Dr. Bard called a “touchdown for men’s health.” And while Pennsylvania may be the first, advocates hope it won’t be the last. “This is the start of a ripple effect,” Ambrose said. “We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.”

 

A HISTORY OF BIAS IN THE CANCER WARS

To understand the significance of this moment, one must understand the deeply rooted bias that has defined cancer care. Bard, a veteran diagnostic specialist, described how male breast cancer has long been dismissed in both public consciousness and medical practice. “Men are told to get a colonoscopy at 50 — and that’s it,” he said. “Nobody talks about their risk for breast cancer. It’s been treated as a woman’s disease, period.”

The result? Delayed diagnoses, advanced-stage tumors, and preventable deaths.

Ambrose pointed out the isolating experience male patients endure in clinical settings designed exclusively for women. “Imagine being a man in a waiting room at a women’s breast center, surrounded by 50 women, with everyone staring,” she said. “That’s enough to keep a lot of men from ever getting checked.”

It’s a bias reinforced by years of underreporting and lack of male-specific advocacy. Bard added, “In medicine, what isn’t talked about doesn’t get researched, and what isn’t researched doesn’t get funded. That’s how health disparities endure.”

 

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THIS MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MALE BREAST CANCER GLOBAL ALLIANCE

The Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance (MBCGA) is leading the charge in awareness, education, and support for men affected by this disease. This organization has built a worldwide network of survivors, advocates, researchers, and healthcare professionals working to shatter the stigma and silence surrounding male breast cancer. They’ve played a crucial role in pushing for more inclusive research, advancing public health messaging, and ensuring men have access to the resources they need. Through tireless advocacy and collaboration, MBCGA has helped get male breast cancer recognized in global cancer policy and has elevated the voices of countless survivors. Their data-driven campaigns and survivor-led storytelling have reached millions, and their partnership with Bard Diagnostics is all about scaling that impact through accessible genetic testing.

 

RELATED RESOURCES

Under a dedicated partnership with the Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance, BARDDIAGNOSTICS established key programs including: EARLIER DETECTION, PREDISPOSITION GENE TESTING, FIGHT RECURRENCE, ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE AND THE 2ND OPINION SCAN. For the many MEN who seek a significantly improved lifestyle or an upgrade in personalized healthcare, getting better answers about your state of health is paramount and IT ALL STARTS WITH STATE OF THE ART DIAGNOSTICS. The visionary paradigm that makes up true personalized medical care involves the integration between modalities, a collaboration between specialists and an upgrade in their strategic approach and you'll find it all at BardDiagnostics. 

UNCOVERED – Shedding Light on Male Breast Cancer

The first official newsletter from the Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance, launched in proud partnership with AngioMedical Media and the Integrative Cancer Resource Society. Rooted in the belief that education is power, UNCOVERED delivers essential news, scientific updates, and survivor stories to inform and inspire. Each issue is packed with the latest in male breast cancer research, treatment innovations, and advocacy efforts from around the globe. Whether you're a patient, caregiver, or medical professional, UNCOVERED is your trusted source for facts and forward-thinking perspectives. Join us in uncovering the truth—and empowering lives through knowledge. (visit our regularly updated Newsletter)

The INTEGRATIVE CANCER RESOURCE SOCIETY is a self-funded (Linkedin Based) independent volunteer group of non-profit foundations/charities, researchers, educators, community leaders and survivors. Under the spirit of collaboration and partnership, we are joined to bring a new level of support to cancer patients, survivors and all those seeking current information about cancer care. We form a unique network of support for one another- while driven to help those who need additional resources, technical updates or empowerment on the road to recovery. ICRS uses the power of the "interweb" to reach a global audience and a network of resources beyond our local borders. We have engaged some of the most impressive minds, perspectives and resources and enjoyed the exchange of vital information that is useful to all. Thanks in part to digital collaboration, these "foreign" connections have always been a part of our cancer crusade, now joining us in what we call "BORDERLESS MEDICINE".

In great support of a the global movement of NON-INVASIVE medicine, we proudly introduce the INTEGRATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER by AngioInnovation Research (501c3). This New York city-based diagnostic imaging validation lab is established to clinically identify the efficacy, performance and supportive claims set by non-invasive therapeutics and diagnostic solutions. Co-founded by Dr. Robert L. Bard, the IHRC offers a non-profit, non-commercialized testing option for health-related innovations who seek an independent and impartial reporting through single-case pilot studies or IRB-Based clinical trials. The IHRC employs credentialed medical professionals and specialists in clinical research whose experience contributes to the unique strategic approach of each test study. (Visit: the AngioInstitute website)

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