NBTS Urges Congress to Keep Brain Tumor Research and Treatment Development Moving Forward

For thousands of Americans currently living with a brain tumor, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and the Neuro-Oncology Branch, is a vital resource for critical medical services, including second opinions, advanced diagnostic support, and access to cutting-edge clinical trials. For millions more Americans – whether they’ve lost a loved one or are surviving beyond an initial diagnosis and living with the visceral fear of a recurrence – the search for a cure for brain tumors is a priority that can’t be understated. This search is supported by the unparalleled biomedical funding power, resources, and leadership of the NIH and NCI, and aided by activities of the FDA and CDC.

A government shutdown would result in lost time for research. Clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological research would be hampered. Evaluation of promising drugs and devices will be slowed. This is time the brain tumor community doesn’t have to spare.

It’s with the millions of patients, survivors, caregivers, and loved ones in mind that we urge Congress to come together and find a path forward in budget negotiations that prioritizes biomedical research funding and the promise it offers to the brain tumor community. Congress must ensure that NIH and NCI can continue to invest in cutting-edge brain tumor research, collect data, launch new studies, and enroll patients on to clinical trials.