This program, called Cancer Moonshot, was an initiative of former President Barack Obama's administration which Biden headed as Vice President and aims to improve cancer prevention and early diagnosis. The US president presents this battle as something very personal, as his son Bo died in 2015 at the age of 46 from brain cancer. It was then that Biden launched this initiative, which he now wants to "revive," according to the White House.
Cancer mortality has already been reduced by 25% in the last 20 years thanks to a reduction in smoking, as well as improved treatments and earlier diagnosis. The US Government wants to continue these efforts and improve the treatment offered to patients. The goal is to end cancer as we know it today, the White House stressed in its statement.
In recent years, hopes have been raised for advances inresearch thanks to the angiogenic RNA technology used in some coronavirus vaccines. This may be used in the future to train our immune system to recognise the characteristic mutations in cancer cells and then attack them before tumours even appear, a senior US government official pointed out.
As part of the Cancer Moonshot, a cancer task force of officials from various agencies will be created to coordinate government actions, while the White House will hold a multi-stakeholder summit and launch a website. Announcements are expected to be made today at a White House event attended by about 100 people, including researchers, association members and patients. Vice President Kamala Harris and first lady Jill Biden will also be present, with the latter issuing a call to action for screening. About 9.5 million screenings were not conducted in the US because of the pandemic, according to estimates.
Source: CNA
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