Soon after real estate developer and investor Jed Manocherian started a non-profit that lobbies for biomedical research, he heard about the outsized role Mary Lasker played in shaping government-funded biomedical research in the U.S.
When Manocherian started to look for books about Mary Lasker, to his amazement, he only found two books—both about her husband, Albert Lasker, a businessman credited with creating national brands that included Kotex, Kleenex, Quaker puffed cigarettes, California orange juice, and Lucky Strikes cigarettes.
There was no book on Mary Lasker, whose interests included expanding and shepherding the American Cancer Society, boosting NIH funding, creating NIH institutes, and engineering a campaign that resulted in the National Cancer Act of 1971.
To correct this historical injustice, ACT for NIH commissioned and published Mary Lasker’s biography.
The biography is posted on the Cancer History Project and the ACT for NIH website.
“It is our hope that this definitive biography of the most consequential public health and medical research advocate in our nation’s history will inspire others to tackle compelling societal challenges,” Manocherian said.
Manocherian spoke with Paul Goldberg, editor and publisher of The Cancer Letter.
Paul Goldberg: You started ACT for NIH almost a decade ago. I’ve known about you for about that long. Mostly Act for NIH hasn’t conducted any public campaign. Has this changed now, with your publication of a biography of Mary Lasker?
Jed Manocherian: Health policy journalists Shirley Haley and Bradie Metheny dreamed of writing a book about Mary Lasker and spent many years researching and writing “Angel in Mink.” ACT for NIH Foundation only played a small role in helping to make their vision a reality.
Source: Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
Part of the mission of ACT for NIH is to educate Congress and the public about how NIH funded research: drives the economy, reins in unsustainable healthcare costs, and spares millions across the globe from the ravages of disease.
“Angel In Mink” educates Congress and the public about the practices of the most influential medical research advocate in history. As Francis Collins put it, “Mary Lasker can be fairly characterized as the godmother of the National Institutes of Health.”
I should ask you precisely how you are releasing this book—and what this would accomplish?
JM: Readers may ask why a foundation dedicated to advancing biomedical research in the 21st century has published a biography of Mary Lasker, a woman born in 1900. It is our hope that this definitive biography of the most consequential public health and medical research advocate in our nation’s history will inspire others to tackle compelling societal challenges.
It shows how much one person can accomplish, and is a case study in how individuals or organizations can masterfully and profoundly impact public policy.
“Angel in Mink” is available for free to anyone who wants a copy.
There are three ways we are distributing the book: it is available as a downloadable PDF on our website and as a downloadable Kindle format book on Amazon.
We also are sending hard cover copies to higher education institutions across the United States, friends in the science community, research advocates, and to many members of Congress.
Have you known about Mary Lasker for years, or have you become aware of her role in medical research after you started Act for NIH?
JM: I became aware of her legacy after I founded ACT for NIH.
Former NIH Directors Francis Collins and Elias Zerhouni enlightened me about Mary Lasker’s enormous contribution to NIH and biomedical research. Fellow research advocates Mike Stephens, a past president of ACT for NIH, Claire Pomeroy, the president and CEO of the Lasker Foundation, Mary Wooley the president of Research!America, and Sudip Parikh, the CEO of AAAS have all shared with me their insights into Mary’s legacy.
Source: American Cancer Society
I have also read about Mary Lasker in books such as “The Emperor of All Maladies” by Sid Mukherjee, “Noble Conspirator” by Judith Robinson, “The Death of Cancer” by Vince DeVita Jr., and “The Art of Politics and Science” by Harold Varmus.
Mary created a new model of political advocacy, and in the process cultivated lifelong personal relationships with presidents, first ladies, and members of Congress. Mary Lasker is my hero, and I have learned a lot from her example that have enhanced our efforts at ACT for NIH.
There are two biographies of Albert Lasker. Until now, there hasn’t been a biography of Mary. Why do you think that is?
JM: Most Americans know very little about NIH. They don’t know that NIH is our nation’s (and the world’s) preeminent biomedical science organization, the largest funder of medical research for most major research centers, hospitals, and universities in our nation.
This would not have been the case if it were not for Mary Lasker.
The only publication I have come across focused exclusively on Mary Lasker is a research paper written by high school student Langley Grace Wallace in 2016, which is available on Amazon. It is a very well researched and written paper which I have shared with many members of Congress.
Mary was not just a rich lady with big hair, colorful outfits, and an art collection. When she and Albert took over what is now called ACS, they set up a grant peer review system, they funded research. Could we talk about her scientific vision?
JM: Mary had a visceral hatred of disease. Mary was interested in both basic sciences such as the research conducted at NIH, as well as accelerating translational research. I believe she would have been a strong supporter of the Advanced Research Project Agency for Health (ARPA-H).
Albert Lasker encouraged Mary to utilize the purse and power of the federal government to advance health policies and robustly increase medical research funding. Mary had a gift for networking and cultivating important relationships. Government leaders responded to her passion, persuasive arguments and personal charm.
What about her policy vision?
JM: Mary Lasker had a much broader vision than just medical research funding. Early on, she cared deeply about mental health, and family planning. Throughout her advocacy career, she would meet with experts and attend conferences on health issues.
She would spearhead health initiatives and legislation, and would serve leadership roles on important boards and organizations. She was relentless, and a force of nature.
When I think of ACT for NIH, I think of a very Washington operation. You must be very inside-the-Beltway to know it even exists. Is this changing, as you distribute this book? Is it fair to think of it as something of a new education focus for Act for NIH?
JM: We were just fortunate that the opportunity came along to support the biography of such a great American who made such a difference for the health of our nation and the world. I would not view this as a campaign or change in focus in our operations.
Source: Schlesinger Library, Harvard Radcliffe Institute.
Although education has always been one of our missions, you are correct that our primary efforts are very much inside the Beltway. Our team at ACT for NIH has several decades of experience with various government agencies; we have a deep understanding of the legislative and appropriations process and have cultivated relationships and friendships with key members in Congress and government.
Mary was kind of a full-range operator. She is both someone who hands out campaign contributions and attends dinner parties, but she is also someone who acts very publicly, financing newspaper campaigns, such as “Mr. Nixon, you can cure cancer.” Was that campaign useful then? Could it be useful now?
Mary’s most famous quote “if you think research is expensive, try disease,” is more relevant today than ever. With an increasing and aging population, healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and on an accelerating trajectory to bankrupt our federal government.
JM: She always thought outside of the box, and brought her ideas directly to policymakers on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. And she sometimes went outside D.C. to run ads in newspapers, like the one you mention regarding the brilliantly impactful full-page ads she ran to draw attention to President Nixon on what became the National Cancer Act of 1971.
The media environment is a bit different today, but we try to work creatively within the environment we have, continuing to make the case for NIH funding.
For example, we have helped coordinate several op-ed’s with members of Congress, such as an opinion piece by Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) in Scientific American calling for a $1 billion increase in funding for the National Cancer Institute.
If Mary were alive today, confronting the same challenges you are confronting now, what do you think her advice would be to legislators of both parties, to Monica Bertagnolli, to you?
JM: At the top of the list (after President Lincoln) of people that are not alive that I wish I could meet is Mary Lasker. I would ask her the exact questions you are asking me.
Mary’s most famous quote “if you think research is expensive, try disease,” is more relevant today than ever. With an increasing and aging population, healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and on an accelerating trajectory to bankrupt our federal government.
I’m certain Mary would tell everyone that we are still delaying and discarding the majority of highly merited research, and I hope she would be a driving force to double the NIH budget.
As NCI success rates are 15.4%, I think Mary would be supportive of $1 billion annual increases to the NCI budget until NCI success rates are back to 2003 levels at around 30%. I think Mary would be impressed with Director [Monica] Bertagnolli who has been deft in her efforts to “end cancer as we know it.”
Mary would tell everyone that there are too many patients to be patient and we must do more. Now! There are no incurable diseases, only diseases that have not been cured yet. But for many, time is running out, so the time is now!
