ARPA-H placed outside NIH in authorization bill approved in a 336-85 House vote

36 months to live, 29 months to wait. Why is Congress withholding lifesaving benefits from breast cancer patients?

In this episode of The Cancer Letter Podcast, Fran Visco, president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, and Jacquelyn Cobb, managing editor of The Cancer Letter, discuss the Metastatic Breast Cancer Act, bipartisan legislation that would eliminate the waiting periods for Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare for eligible people with metastatic breast cancer.

September 23, 2026

Cancer Policy

Senate passes stopgap bill that would ban OMB from finalizing rule that would politicize science

The U.S. Senate has passed a stopgap spending bill that, in addition to avoiding a government shutdown at the end of September, would preclude the White House Office of Management and Budget from finalizing a proposal that seeks to fundamentally redraw the ground rules for all federally funded research (The Cancer Letter, Aug. 7, 2026).

HRSA redrafts 340B rebate pilot program after courts block the original version

After returning to the drawing board, the Health Resources and Services Administration has announced a second iteration of the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program, after it withdrew the original pilot earlier this year.

ARPA-H awards up to $160M to advance personalized curative medicines for rare genetic diseases

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced the teams for the Treating Hereditary Rare Diseases with In Vivo Precision Genetic Medicines (THRIVE) program—a critical investment toward bringing new treatments to patients faster and curing rare genetic pediatric diseases.

July 10, 2026

Vol.52 No.27

Cancer Policy

Early-onset cancer bill introduced in Congress

Asal SayasSen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced a bill that requires NIH to develop a national strategy to address the rise of cancer in younger adults.

House bill gives NCI $7.4 billion in FY 2027—$110 million above current budget

On June 9, the House Appropriations Committee passed its version of the fiscal year 2027 spending bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.

June 12, 2026

Vol.52 No.23

By Paul Goldberg