The Cancer Moonshot initiative, a significant federal effort aimed at accelerating cancer research, faces potential termination due to recent budget cuts by Congress, which is also tightening the NIH budget. Ellen Sigal, founder of Friends of Cancer Research, expressed concerns that these financial constraints will 'further squeeze priorities' within the NIH. This development comes despite previous bipartisan support for cancer research and President Biden's repeated promises to focus on curing cancer. Critics argue that even with optimal funding, the likelihood of curing cancer solely through this initiative was extremely low, describing the Moonshot rhetoric as a misleading metaphor.
I support science funding, obviously as someone who depends on it. But let's be honest: there's literally a 0.000% chance this funding was going to cure any cancer that is otherwise not going to be cured. Moonshot rhetoric is a misleading metaphor https://t.co/9gybuoS51c
This article somehow fails to mention Biden’s repeated promises to “cure cancer” during his presidency. And no serious person believes if Biden got all the money he wanted (Congress has allocated hundreds of millions despite misleading headline), we’d have a cure by January https://t.co/v5wp0oDPXs
Tough times ahead in the federally funded cancer research space. Someone in the know once told me the federal budget is “robbing Peter to pay Paul, and cancer research is Paul” because there is so much bipartisan support for advances. Those days are over! https://t.co/0dOzSHmnxv
"Congress opting not to invest in the cancer moonshot, while simultaneously tightening the NIH budget, will 'further squeeze priorities,' Ellen Sigal, founder of the advocacy group Friends of Cancer Research.@CancerResrch, said." https://t.co/ttrMKDdrFX
Sad to hear news that the Cancer Moonshot may be coming to an end due to budget cuts but it's unfortunately not surprising news given the current political environment. Another reason that cancer R&D at US companies is critical & shouldn't be discouraged by Congress https://t.co/ttrMKDdrFX