Cancer research at risk

Critical medical research is on the cusp of being abruptly halted, abandoned or never funded to begin with should Congress fail to act and pass a 2022 budget.

While we're already clearly into the new year, Congress is still stuck hashing out what they want to spend and on what with little apparent progress. This ongoing steady-state may seem fine on the surface, but what it means in practice is essential medical research at the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute is at risk of being wasted. Without a clear budget the agencies can't plan for new research, can't issue new grants, or guarantee the grants they've already issued will be appropriately funded. This could set cancer research back years and is unacceptable.

As a cancer survivor, I know the importance of investing in research now so patients can benefit from improved treatments as soon as possible.

Senator Blunt needs to continue to lend his voice to the effort to get a budget done and to increase funding for medical research. Cancer patients are depending on it.

HOLLY LINTNER, Jackson