Earlier today, legislation was introduced in the New Jersey Assembly as a companion to Senate Bill 773, proposing to increase the state’s investment in the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research (NJCCR). Assembly Bill 4579 would establish a dedicated, non-lapsing investment in the amount of $10 million, utilizing a greater proportion of the state tobacco tax revenue to do so. With bills now moving in both chambers, survivors and advocates with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) are encouraged by the growing momentum to expand support for cancer research and accelerate lifesaving innovations.
Under current statute, only $1 million a year in tobacco tax revenue is dedicated to cancer research, far short of what is required to address the complexity and urgency of today’s cancer research needs. S773/A4579 would expand that investment and provide critical stability for cancer research in New Jersey as federal funding faces growing uncertainty.
“For cancer patients and their families, research isn’t abstract. It’s the screening that finds cancer earlier, the treatment that gives people more time and the hope that keeps them going,” said Quinton Law, government relations director for ACS CAN in New Jersey. "New Jersey has the talent and institutions to lead the next generation of cancer breakthroughs. By strengthening the Commission on Cancer Research, we can help keep researchers here, grow the pipeline and deliver new discoveries for patients in every community."
Beyond the potential of S773/A4579 to catalyze more breakthroughs, it would generate significant economic returns, strengthen the state’s competitiveness in bids for national research grants and bolster the pipeline for aspiring researchers, making New Jersey a place for people to stay and grow their careers.
Dr. Kenneth Adler, Chair of the NJCCR, added, “Every advance in cancer care begins with research. I have had the distinct privilege, as the head of the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research, to witness countless advances that have brought new options and renewed hope to patients facing cancer, many of them my own. Sustained investment is essential if we are to keep translating scientific promise into real-world progress for families across New Jersey.”
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.
