Throughout Medical Research Month in September, AACI participated in advocacy activities and events to raise awareness of the value of medical research and make a strong case for federal funding ahead of the fiscal year end.
The month opened with the publication of a special AACI Commentary in collaboration with Fight Colorectal Cancer, LUNGevity Foundation, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Susan G. Komen, and ZERO Prostate Cancer. The editorial called for Congress to reaffirm America's commitment to conquering cancer.
Read Cancer Research Isn't a Budget Line Item. It's a Lifeline.
At the Rally for Medical Research in Washington, DC, AACI was among 400 medical research advocacy organizations that advocated on Capitol Hill for topline funding for Fiscal Year 2026. Year. The kickoff reception included remarks by journalist Katie Couric, venture capitalist Reed Jobs, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).
AACI also partnered with chapters of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce to make a unified case for research funding, highlighting the importance of partnerships between chambers of commerce, universities, and associations.
In that spirit, AACI President Dr. Robert A. Winn spoke at a Business for Federal Research Funding Coalition on Capitol Hill, which included representatives from chamber chapters across the country. The productive discussion revealed that the business community and cancer centers share many policy priorities, especially related to the importance of funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The event ended with remarks from Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI), a co-chair of the House Cancer Caucus.
AACI joined United for Medical Research (UMR) member Becton, Dickinson and Company in meetings with key offices of Republican appropriators, driving the message that business, academia, and patient/association groups are the three "legs of the stool" that comprise the research ecosystem.
AACI staff also attended the Friends of Cancer Research Cancer Leadership Awards, Prevent Cancer Annual Gala, and the Research!America National Health Research Forum, where NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya delivered remarks.
Government Shutdown: Cancer Research Funding Hangs in the Balance
Throughout the year, cancer centers have faced a slew of challenges to sustained funding for the NIH and National Cancer Institute (NCI). Congress and the White House remain at odds over spending priorities, and at midnight on October 1 the United States government officially shut down, disrupting operations at agencies that are central to the nation’s biomedical research enterprise.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has warned that about 40 percent of its workforce could be furloughed. The NIH would maintain patient care but could delay new clinical trial enrollments and slow extramural grantmaking. Previous shutdowns have also postponed peer review meetings and grant deadlines. For cancer centers, these disruptions would further complicate research operations, hiring, and financial planning.
In a positive sign, the Senate Appropriations Committee’s version of the FY 2026 Labor-HHS bill includes $47.201 billion for NIH overall, with $7.374 billion allocated for NCI. On the House side, the Labor-HHS appropriations subcommittee advanced a bill proposing $46.9 billion for NIH (a modest increase over FY 2025) and $7.272 billion for NCI. These figures are encouraging given the pressures on the federal research budget, though differences between Senate and House proposals—and continued conflict between Congress and the White House—underscore the ongoing uncertainty.
AACI will continue to monitor budget developments and keep members informed.