Advocates fear cuts may devastate cancer work

Less money for NIH could cripple or kill Biden’s “moonshot” initiative

Cancer researchers and advocacy groups are denouncing President Donald Trump’s proposed budget, warning that its 19 percent cut for the National Institutes of Health could cripple or kill former Vice President Joe Biden’s cancer "moonshot" initiative and other important biomedical efforts.

“Forget about the moonshot. What about everything on the ground?” said George Demetri, an oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Among people who work in the life sciences, Demetri said, “There is a stunned speechlessness.”

The budget blueprint released Thursday did not include specific numbers for individual NIH institutes, such as the National Cancer Institute. Still, the proposed cuts represent a sharp turnaround from the Obama administration as well as congressional supporters, who pressed for more NIH funding in recent years. The Obama White House in particular pushed the moonshot initiative to try to accelerate progress.

“From cancer moonshot to crater in the stroke of a pen,” tweeted Paul McGee, managing director of field communications for the American Cancer Society.

Many research advocates predict — and hope — that such large cuts will face opposition in Congress. Officials at academic medical centers and other research facilities already are contacting lawmakers to voice their disapproval. “We hope this budget is dead before it even arrives,” said Jon Retzlaff, managing director of science policy and government affairs at the American Association for Cancer Research, which represents 37,000 researchers, health care professionals and patient advocates.