New Actions for President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative

According to a Feb. 2 statement, a year ago President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden reignited the Cancer Moonshot. The administration has just announced new actions, inside and outside the government, to drive more progress toward the ultimate goal of ending cancer as we know it today.

The Cancer Moonshot’s additional goals are to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years, as well as improve the lives of those living with and surviving cancer. In 2016, as Vice President, Joe Biden launched the Cancer Moonshot with the mission to accelerate the rate of progress against cancer.

The statement says that “Last year, the President stood up the first-ever Cancer Cabinet to mobilize the federal government, and called on individuals, health care providers, and leaders across sectors to step up and take action in five key priority areas: (1) close the screening gap, (2) understand and address environmental exposure, (3) decrease the impact of preventable cancers, (4) bring cutting-edge research through the pipeline to patients and communities, and (5) support patients and caregivers.”

Further, “To date, the Cancer Moonshot has announced over 25 new programs, policies, and resources to address these five priority areas. The First Lady has traveled the country and the world to hear from cancer patients and their loved ones, as well as the researchers, physicians, nurses, and patient navigators who support them – focusing on the importance of early detection and improving the experience of patients, families, and caregivers. And, the White House and Cancer Cabinet have held more than 50 community conversations and events. More than 60 private companies, non-profits, academic institutions, and patient groups have also stepped up with new actions and collaborations.”

Some of the new actions include:

• The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is launching a public-private partnership focusing on clinical and patient navigation support to families facing childhood cancer, called the Childhood Cancer – Data Integration for Research, Education, Care, and Clinical Trials (CC-DIRECT). The collaboration includes NCI, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (ACTO), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Cancer Society (ACS), the MITRE Corporation, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Children’s Oncology Group (COG), and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is awarding $10 million to improve access to lifesaving cancer screenings and early detection, including patient navigation support services.
• HHS is planning to launch “CancerX,” a public-private partnership that includes ONC and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). The partnership aims to boost innovations toward fighting cancer.
• National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) is launching local community-based activities to increase cancer screenings in at-risk communities. NMQF is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. The organization is launching an online hub that will increase awareness about cancer disparities and early detection.
• The American Cancer Society and the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation (RMSFF) are launching a $10 million challenge grant to benefit five American Cancer Society Hope Lodges—in Omaha, Neb.; Charleston, S.C.; Lexington, Ky.; Lubbock, Texas; and Kansas City, Mo.
• Colorectal Cancer Alliance is launching BlueHQ, a support hub for patients, survivors, and caregivers to navigate colorectal cancer. BlueHQ is a free support service that aims to help patients learn, connect, and take action to improve outcomes.