NCI Faces Potential Budget Cuts in 2025 – What This Could Mean & How You Can Help

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is facing a potential significant budget cut after a year of already tight funding. According to The Cancer Letter, the Labor-HHS spending bill for fiscal year 2025 could see a reduction of 10-11%, which would be a major setback for the agency. This comes after a period of already constrained budgets, making this potential cut even more concerning.

Researchers React

There’s been quite a response to the potential significant budget cut after a year of tight funding. Many professionals in the cancer space and those affected by cancer have taken to social media to repost and share this article from The Cancer Letter. 

Dr. Anirban Maitra shared his disappointment and frustrations in a post to X saying, “A fiscal cliff is coming to cancer research in the United States. 😓”

Dr. Anirban Maitra is a Professor of Pathology and Translational Molecular Pathology, and Scientific Director of the Sheikh Ahmed Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center since 2013. He is also the principal of the NCI-funded laboratory dedicated to pancreatic cancer research. Dr. Anirban Maitra recently joined us on episode 284 of the Project Purple Podcast. 

What This Could Mean

We have seen a negative increase in key pancreatic cancer statistics. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 66,440 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the United States and an estimated 51,750 will die from this disease in the United States, both increases from 2023. Currently, 75% of people are diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer or greater, and only 1 in 5 people are eligible for surgery. This is why funding for research is needed now more than ever.  

How Do We Respond

Now is the time for action as this potential reduction of 10-11% in 2025 is very concerning. Here are two ways we can push for change: 

Contact Local Government Officials

Reach out to your local Congressman or Congresswoman and contact them to take action to Congress to prevent this budget reduction.

Support Project Purple

Donate to Project Purple as we’ve been leading the charge, pioneering advancements, driving crucial research, and bringing hope to pancreatic cancer patients. Since our inception in 2010, we have invested over $3,500,000 in research.