U.S. Restarts Cancer Moonshot: Reduce Cancer Mortality by 50% in 25 Years

According to US media reports, on February 2, local time, US President Joe Biden restarted the "cancer moonshot plan" he led during the Obama administration. At the same time, he also announced a package to support cancer prevention, screening and research, with the goal of reducing cancer mortality by 50% over the next 25 years.

Biden detailed the plan at a meeting at the White House, attended by about 100 cancer researchers, advocates and patients, as well as some members of Congress. That represents Biden and his wife, Jill, restarting the program after their 46-year-old son, Bo, died of brain cancer in 2015. Biden was vice president at the time.

At the meeting, both the First Lady and Vice President Harris made emotional statements. Harris' mother was a cancer researcher and died of cancer.

Biden said: "The cancer moonshot program will be a priority for the White House. "

But at the meeting, Biden did not mention the funds used for the program.

One cancer advocate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "The goal is clear and important, but what is unclear is how we get there." He said he would not be named to avoid angering the White House, but asked: "Where does all this money come from?" "

Congress provided $1.8 billion in funding for the 2016 Cancer Moonshot Program, which will be conducted over seven years. There are currently two years of funding left, totaling about $400 million. Cancer advocates worry that cancer research efforts, including those of the National Cancer Institute, could be hampered without significant funding.

Margaret Foti, CEO of the American Association for Cancer Research, praised the new cancer initiative, saying that stepping up prevention and early screening efforts could significantly reduce mortality. But the cost of developing such improvements is high, she added: "We need to make sure we have the money to develop new technologies and apply them." "