New Survey Finds Overwhelming Public Support for Federal Funding for Medical and Cancer Research
89% of voters support the federal government using taxpayer dollars to fund medical research
83% of respondents favor increasing funding for cancer research
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) today released the results of a national survey measuring voters’ attitudes about federal funding for medical research, which found very high levels of support for federal funding for medical and cancer research across the electorate.
Highlights of the survey include:
- 89% of voters favor the federal government using taxpayer dollars to fund medical research to fight diseases and improve public health.
- 71% of voters think increasing federal funding for medical research should be a top congressional priority.
- Strikingly, 72% of voters who believe reducing the national debt and federal spending should be a top congressional priority also think that increasing medical research funding should be a “high” or “highest” priority issue for Congress.
- Strikingly, 72% of voters who believe reducing the national debt and federal spending should be a top congressional priority also think that increasing medical research funding should be a “high” or “highest” priority issue for Congress.
- 83% of voters, including 75% each of independents, Republicans, and MAGA supporters and 93% of Democrats, favor increasing federal funding for cancer research.
- Voters have high levels of confidence in cancer researchers and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to act in the best interests of the public.
- 71% of survey respondents express a “great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence in cancer researchers, while 65% express a “great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence in NCI.
- 71% of survey respondents express a “great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence in cancer researchers, while 65% express a “great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence in NCI.
- 77% of voters say they would feel more favorable toward their congressional representative if he or she voted to increase federal funding for cancer research over the next decade.
The bipartisan research team of Hart Research and Public Opinion Strategies conducted this national survey among a cross section of 1,001 registered voters on behalf of the AACR. The survey was conducted online from August 26-30, 2025, to understand voters’ attitudes about federal funding for cancer research. The credibility interval (sampling error) for the survey is ±3.1 percentage points for the full sample, and higher for subgroups.
“As these survey results demonstrate, the American public strongly supports robust federal funding for medical and cancer research,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. “Cancer affects everyone. We are grateful to the bipartisan leaders in Congress who have already taken steps to protect funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NCI. As budget negotiations continue, we call on Congress as a whole to provide the strongest possible investment in medical research, including $51.303 billion for NIH and $7.934 billion for NCI in fiscal year (FY) 2026. This level of support is essential to sustain the scientific workforce, power new breakthroughs against cancer and other diseases, and uphold a national commitment to the patients and families who are relying on lifesaving progress.”
The survey results were released alongside the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2025, a comprehensive report that provides the latest statistics on cancer incidence, mortality, and survivorship and highlights how federal investments in basic, translational, and clinical cancer research and cancer-related population sciences have led to impressive scientific advances that are improving health and saving lives. This 15th edition of the AACR Cancer Progress Report includes a strong, timely call to action that urges policymakers to stand up in support of NIH, NCI, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and to provide a robust funding increase for cancer research in FY 2026.