Hillary Clinton Statement on the Cancer Moonshot Initiative

Today, ahead of an event with Vice President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton affirmed her support for the Cancer Moonshot Initiative, which aims to end cancer as we know it:

"When Vice President Biden lost his beloved son, Beau, to cancer, he found strength in his sorrow. He resolved to do everything he could to ease others' suffering and prevent other families from going through what he had.

"Since the launch of the Cancer Moonshot initiative, Vice President Biden has spurred unprecedented cooperation between federal agencies and leaders in the private and nonprofit sectors. Together, they are creating new protocols to promote the sharing of research data, pushing for more enrollment in clinical trials, and providing new tools for patients. And all of this effort is taking advantage of the incredible strides we have made in recent years to grapple with this disease. We know more than we ever have about the biology of cancer, how to prevent it, and how to treat it. We need to do more to build on these developments, advance our understanding, and develop more effective treatments. Simply put, if we make the right investments today, we can save lives.

"To start, Congress should fulfill the administration's request for moonshot funding next year. Cancer does not discriminate, and I believe leaders of both parties can come together to tackle this disease as part of a comprehensive effort to improve medical research across diseases, both by restoring robust funding to the National Institutes of Health, including the National Cancer Institute, and by harnessing the power of the private sector. And we will continue to build on Vice President Biden's work to mobilize the cancer community, make sure that scientists work together, and enable more patients to enroll in clinical trials. By combining new funding with creative approaches, we will not only catalyze progress against cancer: We will strengthen the nation's entire scientific enterprise.

"I could not be prouder to stand with Vice President Biden in this fight, and as President, I will take up the charge. My Administration will carry out the mission the Vice President has set, and continue to call on his advice, leadership, compassion, and sheer strength of will. Together, we will seize this moment. Together, we will make cancer as we know it a disease of the past."