The 21st Century Cures bill, a bipartisan funding bill, was passed by the U.S. Senate yesterday.
The bill includes $4.8 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health, of which $1.8 billion is set aside for the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
“The Senate’s passage of Cures represents a significant victory for cancer patients and their families nationwide,” Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), said in a statement. “The additional funding set aside in this bill would enable the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute to begin implementing many of the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative’s recommendations for accelerating cancer research. These expert recommendations range from improved data sharing — so researchers can see patterns and possibilities across studies and cancers more quickly — to increased focus on emerging and promising treatments, like immunotherapy where the body’s own immune system is harnessed against cancer.”
Hansen was especially grateful to Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) for their dedication to getting the bill passed. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) made sure the Cures bill was a top priority during the congressional session, as well.
“On behalf of all those touched by cancer, including those like the vice president who have lost loved ones to cancer, we thank Congress for their strong bipartisan work and look forward to making many of the Moonshot goals a reality,” Hansen said.
