Tell Congress: Restore and Protect Critical Prostate Cancer Research Funding
- by: Zero Prostate Cancer
- recipient: U.S. Congress
In the last few months, tens of millions of dollars have been cut from prostate cancer research, with billions more in cuts proposed by the Trump administration for next year.
These dollars will mean the difference between new treatment options that will help millions of patients live longer lives with fewer side effects and a status quo where a patient dies of prostate cancer every 15 minutes. It's the difference between new screening and diagnostic tools that detect prostate cancer earlier, when it is easiest to treat, and a status quo where an increasing percentage of patients each year have already developed metastatic disease by the time they are diagnosed.
The cancer death rate has fallen over 30% in the last 30 years, giving millions of Americans more time with their loved ones. We cannot let that commitment falter.
Sign today to tell Congress they must protect prostate cancer research funding.
We, the undersigned, urgently petition Congress to demonstrate their commitment to investment in research that will make lives longer and better for those diagnosed with prostate cancer, both now and in the future.
Congress should:
- Restore full funding to the Department of Defense's Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP); and
- Oppose proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI).
The PCRP, part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), represents a vital investment in innovative treatments and diagnostics for prostate cancer. This program has directly led to the development of eight new treatments and diagnostics, saving thousands of men's lives and establishing itself as one of the most impactful prostate cancer research programs in existence.
Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer among men, making continued Congressional investment in this research absolutely essential. The Fiscal Year 2025 Continuing Resolution has already devastated CDMRP programs with nearly 60 percent cuts. PCRP funding has been reduced to just $75 million—a severe 32% reduction from FY2024 levels.
Furthermore, we strongly oppose the Trump administration's proposed deep cuts to the NIH (39%) and NCI (38%). These reductions threaten to undermine decades of cancer research progress. For the past 50 years, every significant medical breakthrough in cancer treatment has been linked to sustained federal investment in research at NIH and NCI. This commitment has contributed to the remarkable achievement of over 18 million cancer survivors currently living in the United States.
According to the American Cancer Society, NCI-supported clinical trials between 1980 and 2020 alone are estimated to have added 14.2 million additional life-years to cancer patients. Reducing funding would not only halt scientific breakthroughs but also compromise our ability to combat rising cancer rates nationwide.
These cuts have real, life-threatening consequences for cancer patients awaiting the next clinical trial or research breakthrough. We call on Congress to restore full funding to the PCRP and reject proposed cuts to NIH and NCI to ensure continued progress in the fight against prostate cancer and all cancers.
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Sincerely,
[Your name here]
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