WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) today expressed deep concern following media reports of a new planned executive order placing greater political control over research grant decisions at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The following is a statement from Shane Jacobson, CEO of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN:
"Injecting political decision-making into the cancer research grantmaking process is disastrous for the United States' biomedical research enterprise. A similar proposal introduced by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget over the summer received significant bipartisan pushback, and as a result, Congress took action by delaying implementation to further study the proposal's negative implications. An executive order that attempts to circumvent Congressional will has the potential to erode trust in the very research ecosystem that has delivered extraordinary, game-changing cures and treatments and sacrifice the global leadership Congress and the NIH have spent decades building.
“NIH funding has always — and should always — be guided by scientific merit and evidence, not politics. ACS CAN strongly opposes any attempt to politicize the federal grantmaking process by imposing additional red tape and unnecessary barriers to biomedical research. Promising research breakthroughs that require years of consistent funding should not be thwarted simply because administrations and political priorities come and go.
“Cancer patients cannot afford delays in the search for better treatments and cures. We urge the administration to reconsider this proposal and to protect NIH's evidence-based research process so researchers can focus on what matters — advancing treatments and saving lives.
“We stand ready to collaborate with the administration, Congress, NIH and the National Cancer Institute to elevate evidence-based funding for the United States' most promising cancer research opportunities."