Our most important tool in the fight against cancer is scientific research. Breakthroughs in preventing, detecting, and treating cancer save lives and bring us one step closer towards ending suffering and death from the disease. Every major cancer breakthrough in the past 50 years can be traced back to federally funded research.
Late last month the House of Representatives voted to increase cancer research funding. The House’s budget includes a $432 million increase for the National Cancer Institute (NCI), as well as $3.5 billion to create a new program within the National Institute of Health (NIH) that will be dedicated to biomedical research for rare and difficult to treat diseases, including cancer.
We are glad that the House has taken this important step, and we are grateful for all of the work from dedicated ACS CAN volunteers that has helped get us to this point. This increased funding is vital to support the lifesaving work of scientists and researchers fighting for advancements in cancer research.
The next step forward is ensuring that when the Senate begins working on their version of the budget, they are equally committed to funding medical research. We must continue to share our messages about the importance of cancer research.
We can remind leaders in Washington what increased funding for cancer research really means: earlier detection methods that lead to better outcomes, more options for patients facing a cancer diagnosis, and new treatments and surgeries that save lives. And it means hope – for cancer patients, survivors, and their families.
After months of delay and hard negotiations, Congress has finally passed a funding bill! The bill includes a small increase for cancer research and prevention programs.