A new section spotlighting noteworthy individuals
making a difference in the cancer community

Each month this section will feature an interview with a noteworthy individual  who is making a difference in the cancer community. 

This month's spotlight features John Edward Porter, Chair of Research!America and a former Representative from Illinois who chaired the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

As Friends approaches its 10th Anniversary and looks back on the last decade, one of the biggest highlights for the medical research community was the historic doubling of the National Institutes of Health budget.   It was under the leadership of then Representative John Edward Porter (R-IL), who served as Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, that this was accomplished.  Friends was especially excited to have Chairman Porter join the educational breakfast briefing as part of the "Cancer Research Benefiting All Americans" Day co-hosted by AACR, AACI, and FOCR.  This month's spotlight highlights some of Chairman Porter's "words of wisdom" followed by an elaboration of the issues AACR, AACI, and FOCR Hill Day participants discussed during their Capitol Hill meetings.    

 For past interviews:
                                 

 Words of Wisdom
Insights from the Honorable John Edward Porter for the “Cancer Research: Benefiting All Americans” Day on Capitol Hill on June 28, 2006

During a breakfast briefing attended by 60 cancer research leaders from across the country, Chairman John Edward Porter offered valuable insight about how best to craft messages to lawmakers about the promise of America's biomedical research enterprise.  Chairman Porter stressed that messages of progress and hope should be conveyed with both clarity and passion, and organized around themes of saving lives; saving healthcare costs; keeping America competitive; and creating economic stimulus.   During his address at the briefing, Chairman Porter outlined several key points which are elaborated below with issues that AACR, AACI, and FOCR Hill Day participants discussed during their Capitol Hill meetings.    

– The Honorable John Edward Porter

AACR/AACI/FOCR Hill Day participants emphasized that federal investment in cancer research has positioned the United States as the world leader in the fight against cancer.  Sustained inquiry and scientific advancement are critical to maintaining our competitive stature. 

 Moreover, failure to invest in biomedical innovation and discovery threatens America’s capacity to compete with emerging global economies.  In addition, for NIH to meet its research objectives there needs to be a highly-trained scientific workforce.  Without funding for the next generation of physician scientists, the biomedical research enterprise will not be prepared for future efforts and could lose an entire generation of innovative ideas that could produce new treatments and prevention methods for cancer. 

– The Honorable John Edward Porter

AACR/AACI/FOCR Hill Day participants highlighted the fact that our substantial investments in sequencing the human genome are producing dramatic advances in our understanding of how cancers grow—and how we might better reverse their spread.  These new insights are beginning to be translated into profoundly more powerful therapies and diagnostics.  In addition, participants discussed how new cancer therapies are being introduced that can recognize and target only the cancerous cells creating safer and more effective treatments resulting in less painful and severe side effects. 
 

– The Honorable John Edward Porter

AACR/AACI/FOCR Hill Day participants stressed the point that for the first time in 70 years, the absolute number of cancer deaths in the United States has decreased.  Participants also discussed how NIH/NCI funding has contributed to more effective therapies that have led to improved outcomes for more than 10 million American cancer survivors.  They also underscored how NCI is funding several cancer early detection initiatives that will help to keep the number of cancer survivors rising.  Additionally, participants described how the financial cost of cancer is rising.

Research could help reduce the estimated $210 billion lost in 2005, which includes $136 billion in lost productivity and over $70 billion in direct medical costs. 
 

– The Honorable John Edward Porter

AACR/AACI/FOCR Hill Day participants emphasized how research funding enables academic centers to attract the most talented and innovative investigators and to build state-of-the-art facilities, which serves as an economic stimulus for our nation’s communities.  Moreover, funding for cancer centers and cancer research centers provides the ability to recruit renowned cancer leaders from outside the region to work in their communities, which then draws more patients from in and outside the region.  In addition, research funding stimulates the development of technologies and fosters public-private partnerships with the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, which leads to new business ventures.