Restore and Protect Federal Funding for Life-Saving Cancer Research

The United States has long been a global leader in biomedical research, driving breakthroughs that have transformed cancer treatment and saved millions of lives. Recent innovations, such as CAR-T cell therapy and mRNA vaccines, are the direct result of decades of federally funded research. However, the Trump administration's decision to freeze and cut research grants—impacting institutions like UCLA, Columbia, and Harvard—has disrupted ongoing projects, jeopardized clinical trials, and threatened the momentum of scientific discovery.

Researchers are now forced to divert their attention from life-saving work to scrambling for alternative funding, downsizing labs, or even shutting down promising projects. The administration's proposed budget slashes NIH funding by 37%, including devastating cuts to the National Cancer Institute. The American Cancer Society Action Network has warned that these cuts will have a catastrophic impact on cancer patients and their families, undermining the nation's health and global competitiveness.

We cannot allow political decisions to halt progress in the fight against cancer. We urge policymakers to immediately restore and safeguard federal funding for cancer research, support the scientists dedicated to curing this disease, and reaffirm the United States' commitment to scientific leadership and public health.