Officials with the American Cancer Society, which is the biggest private, not-for-profit funder of cancer research, recently announced that they intend to double the organization’s yearly research funding by the year 2021.
The ACS and its advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), provide support to the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. The goal is to speed the progress in fighting this serious illness, which is expected to kill approximately 595,000 people in the U.S. this year alone.
“The American Cancer Society is putting our stake in the ground to continue to be the leading nonprofit funder for cancer research,” Gary Reedy, CEO for both ACS and ACS CAN, said. “We’re making a financial pledge that will challenge us and our supporters to step up, focus and deliver results at levels we’ve never done before. This is the kind of leadership and perseverance that must come from every sector of the cancer community -- from nonprofits to government to corporate and community leaders.”
The ACS is taking the lead on increasing its research funding to an estimated $240 million by the year 2021. As of today, the foundation spends approximately $100 million each year on new grants for academic research institutions. This is in addition to another $15 to $20 million each year for ACS cancer surveillance, epidemiology, behavioral research, health sciences, health policy and economics.
“Congress can’t let this moment pass -- we’re on the cusp of so many new developments in diagnostic tests and treatments thanks to past investment that has allowed us to understand cancer at the molecular level,” Chris Hansen, president of ACS CAN, said. “Lifesaving cancer treatments have one thing in common: they begin with basic research led by the NIH and the NCI. Congress must continue the funding momentum if we are going to conquer cancer.”
