Increases in Screening and Education Funding Will Help Underserved and Young Women
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Advocacy Alliance offered its thanks today for the increased investment in cancer research and control programs soon to be signed into law by President Obama, which will set the budget for Fiscal Year 2010. While appreciative of the funding, the Komen Advocacy Alliance (KAA) noted that the levels fall short of the cancer community’s targets — and President Obama’s stated goal — of curing cancer in our lifetimes and doubling cancer research funding.
“We applaud Congress and the President for increasing our investments in the fight against cancer in a time of lean budgets,” said Jennifer Luray, president of the Komen Advocacy Alliance. “However, if we intend to meet President Obama’s challenge to end cancer in our lifetimes, we still have much work to do, and we intend to work with our partners in the cancer community to continue to advocate for funding increases.”
Funding for the National Institutes of Health will increase to $31 billion, a 2.3 percent increase over FY2009. This amount includes $5.1 billion for the National Cancer Institute, up 2.8 percent over FY2009. The KAA noted that investments in science and research are important for more than just the impact they have on health care treatment; they can also stimulate local and state economies, which is particularly important at this point in time. For example, according to officials at the NIH, every NIH grant supports six to seven full-time or part-time scientific jobs in communities across the country. And those jobs are estimated to be magnified in their economic effect on local communities, thanks to the goods and services purchased by scientists and technicians.
The budget bills will also increase our national investment in key cancer care priorities like the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (funded at $215 million, a $9 million increase over FY2009), which provides cancer screening to the country’s neediest women; Patient Navigation services ($5 million, up from $4 million in FY2009), and a new investment of $5 million in breast cancer education efforts for young women who are so often overlooked by the public health community.
Unfortunately, Congress reduced funding for the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for Breast Cancer, which was reduced by $5 million to $145 million for FY2010.
“Cancer costs the national economy $219 billion each year in medical costs and lost productivity. It claims more than 560,000 lives each year and inflicts incalculable physical pain and emotional distress on cancer patients and their families,” said Luray. “An increased investment in the fight against cancer will provide short-term stimulus the economy needs today, while building a foundation for a healthier, more productive workforce in the future.”
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