The President and First Lady reignited the Biden Cancer Moonshot to mobilize a national effort to end cancer as we know it.

We’re building a world where the word ‘cancer’ loses its power, a diagnosis isn’t a death sentence, we prevent cancer before it starts, we catch cancer early so people live longer and healthier lives, and patients and families don’t have to navigate their cancer journey alone.

Cancer touches every American in some way, and is still the second leading cause of death in America despite the progress we’ve made in recent decades. By bringing together the federal government, health care providers, researchers, patients, caregivers, advocates, and the public and private sectors, the Cancer Moonshot is dramatically accelerating progress against cancer.

The Cancer Moonshot is mobilizing efforts toward achieving two clear goals that the President and First Lady set: To prevent more than 4 million cancer deaths by 2047 and to improve the experience of people who are touched by cancer.

We can make real progress toward ending cancer as we know it. It will take all of us doing our part. Join us.


Progress of the Cancer Moonshot

The Cancer Moonshot has spurred tremendous action across the federal government and from the public and private sectors, building a strong foundation for the work ahead. To date, the Cancer Moonshot has announced more than 60 new programs, policies, and resources to address five priority actions. More than 120 private companies, non-profits, academic institutions, and patient groups have also stepped up with new actions and collaborations.

  • The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $10 million to 22 federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs) to facilitate access to life-saving cancer screenings and early detection services for underserved populations with a focus on equity.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued more than $200 million in grants as part of a greater than $1 billion commitment to advance national cancer prevention and control through cancer screening programs reaching every state, and many U.S. territories, and tribal organizations.
  • The National Cancer Institute (NCI) launched a large national trial that, if successful, will identify effective blood tests for the detection of one or more cancers, providing the opportunity for additional, less-invasive tools for early detection.
  • The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a national coverage determination (NCD) that expands coverage for lung cancer screening with low dose computed tomography (LDCT) to improve health outcomes for people with lung cancer.
  • The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Tri-Agencies of Health & Human Services, Labor, and Treasury improved access to colon cancer screening by ensuring that patients with private insurance and people with Medicare don’t pay more for colonoscopies following a positive at-home screening test.

  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, dedicated $1 billion to accelerate clean up at up to 80 previously underfunded Superfund sites, and committed $7.4 billion to help states replace lead pipes and service lines — including efforts which will protect millions of families from so-called “forever chemicals” and other contaminants that may increase people’s risk of getting certain cancers
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is leading the implementation of the bipartisan PACT Act, so veterans with cancers and other diseases may now be eligible for health care benefits and expedited disability claims. This historic, bipartisan legislation has delivered lifesaving health care and benefits to more than 340,000 veterans and survivors. As a part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot, VA has prioritized claims processing for veterans with cancer — delivering nearly $215 million to veterans with cancer since passage.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry released updated Guidelines for Examining Unusual Patterns of Cancer and Environmental Concerns, to help states as they investigate and address patterns of disease in communities.
  • The Department of Defense (DOD) has expanded to all its hospitals and to all cancers, a signature clinical research program, the Applied Proteogenomics Organizational Learning and Outcomes, or APOLLO network, and launched a new program with the goal of understanding the impact of service-related toxic exposure on the development of cancer in members of the military.

  • The Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its new Agricultural Science Center of Excellence for Nutrition and Diet for Better Health (ASCEND for Better Health) in support of the cancer prevention goals of the Cancer Moonshot and as part of the President’s commitment to improved nutrition for the American people as laid out in the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. This new virtual center will accelerate research on diet-related chronic diseases, including cancer, and aims to translate research into impactful solutions that improve public health and well-being.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to significantly reduce tobacco-related morbidity and mortality in the United States as part of cancer prevention efforts by advancing a set of tobacco product standard regulations that is intended to lower initiation, addiction, and continued use of combustible tobacco products.
  • The FY24 budget recommended a $15 million total CDC investment to prevent and detect HPV-related cancers (cervical, head, neck, anal, and other cancers) that impact nearly 40,000 Americans each year but can mostly or wholly be prevented through HPV vaccination and early detection. With these additional recommended investments in CDC, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program could screen an additional 142,000 people, resulting in more than 2,550 additional cancers and precancerous lesions detected and referred for preventive treatment.

  • The Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) launched CancerX, a National Accelerator to Drive Progress Against Cancer. This  summer, CancerX announced over 90 founding members as well as a steering committee to provide an additional layer of governance within CancerX’s public-private partnership model (learn more here).
  • As part of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the First Lady convened a conversation with the spouses of African leaders and leaders across U.S. departments and agencies and the private sector have demonstrated unwavering commitment to improve cancer outcomes in countries in Africa through a number of new announcements and commitments totaling approximately $200 million.
  • Through the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Biden-Harris Administration committed $5.4 million in the first year of multi-year awards to support the inaugural cohort of 11 Cancer Moonshot Scholars, with the intention to fund up to 30 by 2025. The goal of the Cancer Moonshot Scholars program is to inspire and support the next generation of world-class and diverse scientists and health innovators focused on breakthroughs that will make a difference for patients and drive progress.
  • The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) expanded and extended its program to expedite consideration of patents for innovations to detect and treat cancer.
  • As part of his Unity Agenda last year, President Biden called on Congress to establish and fund ARPA-H to drive breakthroughs in cancer and other diseases. He has since delivered results—working with Congress on a bipartisan basis to invest $2.5 billion in ARPA-H, leading, in part, to two new programs:
    • In July 2023, ARPA-H announced the launch of the Precision Surgical Interventions Program, a program aiming to deliver groundbreaking new tools to enable surgeons to successfully remove cancer for patients through a single operation by better identifying and differentiating between healthy and cancer tissue.
    • In August 2023, ARPA-H announced the launch of “Curing the Uncurable via RNA-Encoded Immunogene Tuning” (CUREIT), with up to $24 million in new funding, to develop generalizable mRNA platforms that can be harnessed to train the immune system to more effectively fight cancer and other diseases.

  • The Inflation Reduction Act caps out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2000 per year for Medicare beneficiaries. Because of this law, tens of thousands of cancer patients could see their prescription drug costs go down by thousands annually.
  • The National Cancer Institute (NCI) launched the Childhood Cancer – Data Integration for Research, Education, Care, and Clinical Trials (CC-DIRECT) to support children and Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) with cancer throughout their cancer journey and provide patient navigation support to families seeking information and optimal care. Work has begun in earnest, which includes the formation of a team of 22 organizations to develop a patient centered standardized cancer health record that will also facilitate research and clinical trial participation.
  • The Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) finalized a new rule to help people with Medicare navigate cancer treatment and have access to more types of behavioral health providers, strengthen primary care, and for the first time, allow Medicare payment for services performed by community health workers.
  • The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) at CMS launched a new, voluntary Enhancing Oncology Model designed to place cancer patients at the center of decision-making that provides equitable, evidence-based cancer care that is more affordable and supportive. This model aims to improve care coordination, quality, and health outcomes for patients while also holding oncology practices accountable for the total cost of care.
  • The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division created new resources to help workers living with cancer, their caregivers, and cancer survivors to understand and make use of their rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act.



What is the Cancer Moonshot?

About Us

The Cancer Moonshot is a White House initiative to bring renewed leadership to the fight against cancer, facilitate new collaborations, and drive progress across the cancer journey utilizing all facets of the oncology community – federal agencies and departments, private companies, healthcare providers, patient groups, philanthropies, and all Americans.

To reach the bold but achievable goals set forth by President Biden, the Cancer Moonshot is mobilizing the:

  • Federal government to drive innovative action and life-saving progress forward in ways that reach all Americans.
  • Scientific community to bring its boldest thinking to this fight;
  • Medical and public health community to improve their outreach to and support for underserved communities, to help patients and families have the best experience possible while living with and surviving cancer, and to improve patient outcomes;
  • Private sector to step up — to develop and test new treatments, to share more data and knowledge, and to collaborate on tools that can benefit all Americans; and
  • People living with cancer and survivors, their caregivers and families,  and those who have lost someone to keep sharing their perspectives and experiences and to keep pushing for progress.

Objectives

Achieving the bold goals laid out by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will take all of us. 

The objectives of the Cancer Moonshot are informed by the patients, caregivers, and families most affected by cancer and progress will be made by all parts of the oncology community and beyond. 

President Biden calls on the private sector, foundations, academic institutions, healthcare providers, and all Americans to join the mission of reducing the deadly impact of cancer and improving patient experiences in the diagnosis, treatment, and survival of cancer.

The Cancer Moonshot is driving progress to meet these goals by working to:

  • Make sure everyone has access to cancer screenings—so more Americans can catch cancer early, when outcomes are best.
  • Understand and prevent toxic and environmental exposures, such as forever chemicals and air pollution, which we know can cause cancer. 
  • Prevent more cancers before they start—by reducing tobacco use, making sure everyone has access to healthy food, and getting more people vaccinated against HPV, which causes some cancers.
  • Drive new innovation and deliver the latest progress to patients and communities, so that all families benefit from breakthrough advances to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. 
  • Support and center patients and caregivers, by helping them navigate the many decisions associated with a diagnosis, providing patients easy access to their health information, and driving action to lower drug costs.

Cancer Moonshot Highlights

President Joe Biden delivers remarks at a Cancer Moonshot event, Wednesday, February 2, 2022, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the Cancer Moonshot Monday, September 12, 2022, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)
As part of the Biden Administration’s Cancer Moonshot, the First Lady hosted an event, on October 24, 2022, with the American Cancer Society and special guest and preventive cancer screening advocate Mary J. Blige to launch the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) National Roundtables on Breast and Cervical Cancer.
On Friday, March 10, 2023, in recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness month, the White House Cancer Moonshot convened leaders from the colorectal cancer community, including patients, survivors, private sector companies, foundations, academic institutions, and health care providers focused on accelerating efforts to reduce the deadly impact of colorectal cancer.
On Thursday, May 25th, 2023, in recognition of Brain Cancer Awareness Month, the White House Cancer Moonshot convened leaders from the brain cancer community, including patients, caregivers, oncologists, researchers, advocacy organizations, philanthropy, and industry for a Brain Cancers Forum.
On Thursday, June 1, 2023, the White House Cancer Moonshot hosted a forum to highlight the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackling the largest single driver of cancer deaths in the U.S.—smoking. The forum explored efforts underway across the public, private, nonprofit, and other sectors to equitably expand access to effective smoking cessation support.

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