The Biden Administration reignited its Cancer Moonshot initiative last week, renewing its commitment to cutting the US cancer death rate by 50% over the next 25 years. The plan includes substantial financial investment, too. The initiative pledges $2 billion for biotech supply chains.
The announcement came from the steps of the Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, and while investment will be almost inclusively domestic, the order also encourages international joint research and includes some stipulations that research funded by the government be made public and shared with researchers around the globe.
European Commission Also Invested In Cancer Research
A similar program organized by the European Commission is also underway, wither more than 500 million euros committed to cancer research focused on cutting death rates. The parallel efforts may collaborate in the years ahead, but critics say the US program is too focused on keeping technology generated in the US exclusively to the US.
The Cancer Fighting Focus
The US cancer initiative focuses on a few key types of cancer, including:
- Multi-cancer blood tests
- Researching messenger RNA technology for cancer vaccines
- Expanding the National Institutes of Health research database
- Improving supply chain resiliency
Researchers are eager to apply the hard-won knowledge from RNA technology driven in large part by the design and production of COVID-19 vaccines in the past two years. Similar innovations could have an impact on cancer vaccines in the relatively near term if successful. HPV vaccines, for example, save lives and reduce the number of diagnoses.
Cancer Prevention Matters, Too
As the US invests in sweeping cancer research programs, families can invest in cancer prevention efforts daily at home. Learn more about healthy diets, and activities, and advocate for equitable access to healthcare to ensure we all reap the benefits of cancer research initiatives like the Cancer Moonshot.
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