The March 15 continuing resolution has gutted the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program. The program’s funding was cut by 57%, compared to Fiscal Year 2024 levels—from $1.5 billion to $650 million.
Just consider for a minute if this was the first year of running your lab, if you were on the job market as a physician or scientist right now, if you were a resident contemplating a career in cancer research after fellowship, if you were a graduate student or postdoc, if you were an undergraduate or a technician who was looking toward graduate school.
Cancer care is at an inflection point. The traditional boundaries between academic and community oncology are dissolving, requiring a reimagined approach to patient care and clinical research. At City of Hope, we are implementing a national model that integrates breakthrough research with accessible, advanced treatment across diverse geographic regions.
NCI-designated cancer centers and academic medical institutions (AMCs) are facing unprecedented threats that jeopardize their ability to conduct groundbreaking research, deliver cutting-edge care, and sustain clinical trials essential to patient treatment.