A Letter to President-Elect Biden’s Transition Team
With the increasing likelihood of a new presidential administration, President-Elect Biden is expected to bring a new emphasis on the drive to find cures for cancers. Expectations are high among the advocacy and health care professional communities that existing funding for medical research, both at the NIH and through the CDMRP, will be increased significantly.
You may recall that then-Vice President Joe Biden lost his son Beau to brain cancer in 2015. In December of 2016, Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which included funding for the Cancer Moonshot. The goal of the Cancer Moonshot is “to accelerate cancer research” and “to make more therapies available to more patients, while also improving our ability to prevent cancer and detect it at an early stage.” In a speech to the American Association of Cancer Researchers, Biden explained that “improved data sharing and collaboration between government, academia, nonprofits and the private sector will accelerate cancer research, and many believe he will bring the right people to the table.”
We in the kidney cancer community are acutely aware of how many years we are behind in getting our share of research funding. As we prepare for this likely funding increase, let’s remember the old D.C. adage: “If you are not at the table, you are likely on the menu.” We are working to ensure kidney cancer advocates have a seat at the table and will continue to secure funding for research.
Please see our joint letter with One Voice Against Cancer to the incoming Biden Administration on some of our priorities for the cancer community.
