The Lung Cancer Bailout
November 12, 2008
I would like to ask Congress for a LUNG CANCER BAILOUT!
Lung cancer claims hundreds of thousands of lives. This year over 200,000 people will be diagnosed. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths, killing more than breast, colon, prostate, liver, melanoma and kidney cancers COMBINED. It claims three times as many men as prostate cancer and twice as many women than breast cancer. This year alone, it will claim more than 162,000 lives… the overall survival rate hasn’t budged much since the War On Cancer was proclaimed over 35 years ago.
You would think a cancer that has such an impact, that claims so many lives, that is so devastating would be at the TOP of the Government’s funding and assistance. It’s NOT. It’s at the bottom. Truly… the bottom. For comparison… the Government funds breast cancer research at $23,000 per breast cancer death–yet funds lung cancer at $1,800 per lung cancer death. (No, that wasn’t a typo–the comma is where it is suppose to be!) For a cancer than claims over 30% of all cancer deaths it is only funded at less than 4% of the total NCI budget. Keep in mind, this is ONLY Government funding– not accounting for the billions of dollars raised privately for more popular cancer groups.
These facts seem almost unbelievable–except to us who know lung cancer. I wonder sometimes if we are the ONLY ones who know the disaparities regarding lung cancer because no body (except lung cancer patients/advocates/researchers) seems to be talking about it.
In May, I had opportunity to ask the Director of NCI if he would consider redirecting funds to cancers that do not have private, non-governmental funding opportunities. After all, in my small mind, I thought the Government’s purpose was the protect the unprotected, serve the underserved, and provided research in areas that were a threat to society.
Instead, what I have seen since I’ve been involved with lung cancer advocacy, are promises that have later been taken back. Does anyone remember the I2 initiative? Unreasonable cuts: does anybody remember when SPORES were told they had 5 year grants with 3 year funding? Redirection of funds (the wrong way) Does anybody remember the Lung SPORE reviews? Not enough money to do clinical trials in timely manner and rejected Lung Cancer clinical trials-Ask the cooperative group leaders.
By the way, the Director’s response during that meeting was he would fund “good research-the best science”. He added he hadn’t seen as much good science coming from lung cancer researchers. First of all, that is just plain wrong-absolutely and blatantly wrong. Secondly, when lung cancer researchers have been the lowest funded recipients for decades how can their research be compared with breast cancer research that has been the top funded recipient both from Government and private funds? It just doesn’t make sense. You don’t have be in involved with medical research to figure that out. It’s common sense.
So, I want a LUNG CANCER BAILOUT. I want Congress to decide that too many people are dying, to little is being done, to little has been spent on lung cancer and the Lung Cancer needs a stimulus package. Wall Street and financial CEO’s asked for and got it. Also, the mortgage industry. Now the auto industry wants a bailout and the latest I heard is American Express wants help. Come on!! Let’s help those who truly need help.
At least I can make a strong argument for a Lung Cancer Bailout…In the end the taxpayers could probably save money. Figure how many people have been diagnosed with lung cancer multiply the cost of treatment, the cost of surgery, doctor bills, medicines, the time off work, the money it cost families to be with the person who is ill, disability, and I bet in the end much of this is paid for by medicare/medicaid- aka taxpayers. I’d need a statistician to formalize the argument, however, just looking at my own case, I’m sure a bailout would be a good investment.
$ 700 Billion would be a good number to start with. I’m sure the researchers could start producing some good science…. the best science and I imagine we would be able to save some lives in the process.