"When is cancer political?" Medical researchers, patients decry Trump admin's layoffs, budget cuts
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Source: CBS News
June 29, 2025 / 9:20 AM EDT
They might easily be mistaken for Congressional staffers, reluctant to face the day, but these are among the most accomplished cancer specialists in the country, meeting with Representatives, Senators and staff. Among them: Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee, deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, from up the road in Baltimore; and Dr. George Weiner, a cancer specialist in Iowa for more than 35 years, who has flown in frequently to lobby Congress for more research funds.
Lobbying for cancer research, he says, used to be like pushing on an open door. "Most of the time when I've come, I've met with Democrats and Republicans, and we talked about the bipartisan support for cancer research," Weiner said. "This is the first time that I felt there was an existential crisis in our ability to make the type of progress that I see in front of us."
These days, the conversation is all about thousands of layoffs … delays in research … massive budget cuts – close to a 40% proposed cut in funding for the National Cancer Institute. "I wake up every morning looking at my phone: Did I get an email from the National Cancer Institute saying I'm no longer receiving my grants?" said Jaffee.
Has she felt the impact yet? "Oh, yeah, we certainly have felt the impact, to the point where people are leaving," Jaffee replied. "So, in our clinical research operation, which takes years to build, train research nurses, takes two years to train coordinators, takes six to 12 months, these people are leaving because the funding isn't coming in." I asked, "If they keep cutting back, how long before Dr. Jaffee says, 'That's it'?"
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/when-is-cancer-political-medical-researchers-patients-decry-trump-admins-layoffs-budget-cuts/
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People think it's like an on/off switch, but if persons conducting research weren't around to perform lab maintenance, it's likely that entire studies will have to be restarted from scratch.
Literally, decades of research down the tubes. Penny wise and pound foolish. And with Biden's cancer moonshot programs, we were very likely on the verge of one or more cures.
There is no amount of hate and anger that can exist in proportion to the damage done here...
