Policy and Advocacy

SCIENCE POLICY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: ROY S. HERBST, MD, PHD, CHAIR

The AACR Science Policy and Government Affairs Committee identifies public issues of concern to the cancer research community and focuses on mechanisms for expediting cancer research. Under the leadership of new chair Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, the committee engages with legislators and government agencies to educate them about these issues and to advocate for increased funding for cancer research.

Thanks in part to the AACR’s advocacy efforts in 2022 and its champions in Congress, the NIH received an increase of $2.5 billion (5.6 percent) in Fiscal Year 2023. In addition, the NCI received an increase of $407.6 million (5.9 percent).

• AACR Scientific Report Briefings. AACR Scientific Reports are vital tools in the organization's advocacy efforts, providing policy makers and regulators with evidence of the impact of federally funded research on progress against cancer as well as science-based recommendations to improve public health. In three separate briefings in 2022, AACR CEO Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), convened AACR officers, congressional representatives, and cancer survivors to present three critical reports to the public.

• February: AACR Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Research and Patient Care. AACR Past President (2020–2021) Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD, FAACR, joined U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) for a virtual briefing to release this first-of-its-kind report. The report provided a comprehensive view of the burden of COVID-19 on patients with cancer; the challenges presented by the pandemic to cancer research and patient care; and the changes implemented during the pandemic that have unexpectedly improved research practices and access to care.
• June: AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2022. In a virtual briefing, AACR President (2022–2023) Lisa M. Coussens, PhD, FAACR, and steering committee chair Lisa A. Newman, MD, MPH, joined U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to present the second edition of this trailblazing report. The report highlighted the progress being made toward cancer health equity and the ongoing need for a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach—including robust federal funding—to address this complex public health issue.

• September: AACR Cancer Progress Report 2022. AACR President (2022–2023) Lisa Coussens, PhD, FAACR, AACR Board member John D. Carpten, PhD, FAACR, and Anna D. Barker, PhD, FAACR, gathered in Washington, D. C. with U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA) and cancer survivors to mark the release of the twelfth edition of this foundational report. The report underscored how recent advances across the clinical cancer care continuum—particularly immunotherapy and molecularly targeted therapies—are helping patients with cancer, and it highlighted efforts to address the needs of the rapidly expanding population of cancer survivors.

• Advocacy from Fellows of the AACR Academy. In February, during a strategically important time on Capitol Hill when House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders were negotiating the parameters for a Fiscal Year 2022 spending package, 115 Fellows of the AACR Academy sent a letter to the committee leaders. The Fellows thanked the leaders for their past support of biomedical research and urged them to provide a robust funding increase for the NIH and NCI.
• Early-Career Hill Day. In March, the AACR and its Associate Member Council hosted 36 Associate Members from 20 states for the seventh annual AACR Early-Career Hill Day. The largest-ever contingent of early-career scientists participated in more than 70 virtual meetings with their senators and representatives and asked them to support continued robust funding for the NIH and NCI. This extraordinary event educates young investigators about the importance of advocacy for federal research funding and provides a unique opportunity for lawmakers to hear firsthand about the professional issues confronting cancer researchers in training.
• AACR/AACI Joint Hill Day. In June, the AACR and the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) brought together nearly 70 advocates from 23 states—including cancer center directors, scientists, clinicians, and survivors—for their annual Hill Day. The participants met virtually with the offices of their congressional representatives to emphasize the critical impact that biomedical research funding has on the lives of cancer patients.

AACR President (2022–2023) Lisa M. Coussens, PhD, FAACR, represented the AACR in meetings with the offices of senior appropriators, including House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), and Ranking Member Roy Blunt (R-MO), to highlight the urgent need for increased funding for cancer research.

• Rally for Medical Research Hill Day. In September, more than 100 organizations representing patients, caregivers, researchers, and health care professionals participated in the tenth annual Rally for Medical Research Hill Day in Washington, D.C. More than 250 advocates representing more than 30 states learned about the appropriations process and effective strategies for communicating with lawmakers about the importance of robust annual funding increases for the NIH, and they put those skills to use while participating in 190 meetings with members of Congress.

During a reception prior to the Rally—of which the AACR is the founding organizer and lead sponsor—several members of Congress known as champions of biomedical research funding addressed the participants, including Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) (right), Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), and Rep. David Trone (D-MD). The reception also included remarks from former NIH Director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, and Acting Director Lawrence A. Tabak, DDS, PhD, as well as a tribute to the late Rep. John Edward Porter (R-IL), a tireless advocate for federal health programs and the NIH.

AACR SCIENTIST↔︎SURVIVOR PROGRAM®

The AACR Scientist↔︎Survivor Program® (SSP) builds enduring partnerships among leaders of the scientific, survivor, and patient advocacy communities by convening them at AACR scientific meetings to engage with the latest innovative cancer science. Survivors and advocates attend focused lectures and scientific sessions with scientist mentors, fostering an exchange in which patients and advocates explore the biology behind treatment decisions and scientists learn about the impact their work has on the patient experience. More than 35 patient advocates participated in the program at the AACR Annual Meeting 2022 in New Orleans.

VIRTUAL PATIENT ADVOCATE FORUMS

Under the leadership of SSP founder Anna D. Barker, PhD, FAACR, this quarterly series of educational sessions addressed several critical topics, including recent innovations in the design of cancer clinical trials; the very early detection of cancer signals and the potential benefits and challenges of new cancer screening tests; the transformative potential of biomarkers in impacting patient care; and the science of cancer survivorship.

• “Coping With Chemo Brain.” Many cancer patients have problems with memory or thinking that can linger for years after treatment. The cause is a mystery, but new tactics are helping many people cope with its effects.
• “Breast Cancer and Heart Health.” Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer are at increased risk for developing high blood pressure and diabetes, common risk factors for heart disease.
• “Diet and Cancer: Getting the Research Onto Your Plate.” New studies claim to show associations between certain foods and cancer, but experts say to focus on the big picture.
• “How Do I Deal With ‘Scanxiety’?” After completing cancer treatment, getting a screening to see if the disease has returned is a frightening prospect for many.
• “Cancer and Alcohol.” Lowering and increasing alcohol consumption are associated with changes in cancer risk.
• “The Pain of Grief.” People affected by cancer often experience intense feelings of loss when those around them die of the disease.
• “The Skin You’re In.” Cancer treatment can be tough on the skin, but most side effects are manageable.