President Biden announces reignition of Cancer Moonshot

ACS and ACS CAN leadership attend White House event.

President Biden on Feb. 2 announced the reignition of the Cancer Moonshot, an initiative to “end cancer as we know it.” The initiative will build on the extensive work and robust investment of the initial cancer moonshot investment in discovery, prioritizing increasing cancer screening rates, and addressing health disparities.

Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), and Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN, joined President Biden, First Lady Dr. Biden, Vice President Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff at the White House for an event on the initiative.

The initiative intends to harness the power of the federal government to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years, as well as improve the experience of people and their families living with and surviving cancer. Key elements include a call to action to increase cancer screening rates, and an emphasis on helping ensure that everyone in the United States equitably benefits from the tools available to prevent, detect, treat and survive cancer.

Declines in overall cancer death rates can be directly traced to investment in research, advocacy and direct patient support. ACS and ACS CAN applauded the President for putting national focus on changing the trajectory of a disease that is projected to kill more than 600,000 people in the U.S. this year. The goals of the Cancer Moonshot directly align with the work ACS and ACS CAN are leading to accelerate discovery, improve access to patient services and advance public policy. Both organizations have pledged to continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the president continuing this work that will help reduce death and suffering from cancer. 

ACS and ACS CAN have prioritized cancer prevention and early detection and health equity. A few examples of this work include:

• ACS’ Get Screened campaign, which is raising awareness of the importance of cancer prevention
•  $2.2 million in ACS grant funding to rapidly increase cancer screening rates and reduce barriers exacerbated by the pandemic
•  ACS CAN’s advocacy work to protect funding for breast and cervical cancer programs that serve uninsured and underinsured individuals
• ACS CAN’s support of policies that increase diversity in clinical trials 
• $65 million ACS has invested to date in health disparities research
• The Diversity In Cancer Research program, which supports ACS’ efforts to foster a more diverse scientific workforce community. 
• ACS’ Partnering For Life initiative, which spreads awareness about cancer risk, prevention, and early detection in the Black community.  

In 2016, then President Obama tasked then Vice President Biden with heading up the initial national Cancer Moonshot effort. The original objective of the initiative was to make a decade’s worth of progress in five years. ACS and ACS CAN played key roles in supporting the initial national Cancer Moonshot effort. ACS CAN endorsed and advocated for the 21st Century Cures Act, enacted in December 2016, authorizing $1.8 billion in funding for the Cancer Moonshot over 7 years to be appropriated each fiscal year over 7 years, starting in 2017. Former ACS Chief Medical and Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President Otis Brawley, M.D. served on the Cancer Moonshot Implementation Science Working Group. Since 1991, ACS alone has invested over $3 billion in cancer research. 

*Shared from MySocietySource.