Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
Jimmy Williams
In a determined push to leave a lasting legacy, President Joe Biden visited New Orleans on Tuesday to spotlight his administration’s “moonshot” initiative, aimed at significantly reducing cancer deaths in the United States.
As Biden nears the end of his term, he is zeroing in on health policy goals that are deeply personal to him, including the ambitious plan to cut U.S. cancer fatalities by 50% over the next 25 years.
The president, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, toured Tulane University’s cutting-edge medical facilities, where researchers demonstrated the latest advancements in cancer surgery techniques. Using a piece of raw meat, the scientists illustrated how they are working to refine scanning technology that can quickly differentiate between healthy and cancerous cells during surgical procedures.
Biden’s visit coincided with the announcement of $150 million in new awards from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). These funds will support eight teams of researchers across the country, all focused on improving the precision of tumor removal during surgeries. This latest funding round brings the total amount awarded by ARPA-H for cancer research to $400 million.
“Cancer surgery takes the best surgeons and takes its toll on families,” Biden remarked during the visit. He emphasized the importance of the technology being developed, which will help surgeons visualize tumors in real-time and reduce the likelihood of needing additional surgeries. “We’re moving quickly because we know that all families touched by cancer are in a race against time,” he added.
The teams receiving these awards are based at prestigious institutions, including Tulane University, Dartmouth College, Johns Hopkins University, Rice University, and the University of California, San Francisco, among others.
Biden’s dedication to combating cancer is not just a policy matter but a personal crusade. His eldest son, Beau Biden, died from an aggressive brain cancer in 2015 at the age of 46. Both President Biden and the First Lady have also faced skin cancer diagnoses, though their cases involved basal cell carcinoma, a common and treatable form of the disease.
As Biden wraps up his presidency, he has repeatedly emphasized his optimism about the potential for breakthroughs in cancer treatment. “I’m a congenital optimist about what Americans can do,” he said during his visit. “There’s so much that we’re doing. It matters.”
Experts agree that Biden’s ambitious goal is attainable with sufficient investment. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society, noted that simply ensuring access to existing innovations could reduce cancer mortality by another 20% to 30%. She also highlighted the importance of continuing robust funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to maintain momentum in cancer research and treatment development.
The Biden administration’s focus on cancer has already led to significant changes, such as expanded Medicare coverage for follow-up colonoscopies and navigation services to help patients manage their cancer care. However, advocates like Knudsen hope that future administrations will continue to prioritize these efforts, including pursuing initiatives like a ban on menthol-flavored cigarettes, which could save hundreds of thousands of lives over the next 40 years.
As Biden’s public appearances become less frequent since announcing he would not seek a second term, his continued emphasis on the cancer moonshot stands out as a defining aspect of his final months in office. Advocates like Jon Retzlaff, chief policy officer at the American Association for Cancer Research, praise the president for his unwavering commitment to the cause, which they believe will prevent millions of cancer deaths by 2047.
“We hope that the next administration, whoever it may be, will continue to keep the focus and emphasis on our national commitment to end cancer as we know it,” said Dr. Crystal Denlinger, CEO of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
As the president reiterated on Tuesday, “It’s not just personal. It’s about what’s possible.”
