Cancer Research at a Crossroads: Sustaining Progress Against Cancer for the Benefit of Patients

Sunday, April 27, 2025 | 1-2:30 p.m.
Room S100 A (Grand Ballroom A)—McCormick Place South (Level 1)

session details

This session will include respected voices from the scientific, policy, and patient advocacy communities to discuss the impact of these federal actions on the future of cancer research and patient care. Panelists will discuss the adverse consequences of the current instability, including the halting of critical clinical trials, the disruption of scientific careers, and the lack of patient access to new treatments. This conversation will also highlight what should be done to protect scientific progress and maximize confidence in the medical research enterprise. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of what is at stake and ways to advocate for lifesaving science for the benefit of patients with cancer everywhere.

AACR Annual Meeting 2025—Advocacy Resource Toolkit

Here are links to important resources that you can use to become an effective advocate and call on Congress to make investment in cancer research a top priority and reverse the Administration’s harmful actions against the National Institutes of Health.

AACR Legislative Action Center	AACR Statement Regarding the Administration’s Recent Actions Affecting NIH	Tips and Tricks on Communicating with Congress
Grassroots Toolkit	UMR and FASEB State Fact Sheets	Senate Forum on NIH Featuring AACR Testimony

Contact Congress with the AACR Legislative Action Center

Calling your members of Congress is one of the most effective ways to express your concerns and advocate for the future of cancer research. Visit the AACR Legislative Action Center and click on the action alert to Urge Congress to Support NIH and Protect Medical Research to contact your respective members of Congress today.

AACR Statement Regarding the Administration’s Recent Actions Affecting NIH and the American People

Over the past few months, the Administration has taken unprecedented action against NIH that will negatively impact biomedical research in the U.S. for years to come. Released in February 2025, AACR’s statement on Administration’s actions and their likely effects provides helpful background information for cancer research advocates.

Tips and Tricks on Communicating with Congress

AACR has resources to help you conduct a successful meeting on Capitol Hill, invite your member of Congress to your lab or institution, and place a phone call to your member of Congress.

Grassroots Toolkit

AACR is proud to be a founding partner of the Rally for Medical Research. The Rally for Medical Research Grassroots Toolkit provides tips and examples on how to advocate for cancer research in your community through several important ways such as social media engagement and writing op-eds.

UMR and FASEB State Fact Sheets

To better understand how federal research funding impacts your state and district, United for Medical Research (UMR) and the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) provides fact sheets. These resources can be essential when meeting with policymakers.

Senate Forum on NIH Featuring AACR Testimony

Advocacy can lead to working with policymakers, to directly share your stories. Understanding how a formal hearing/testimony operates can help prepare any advocate for a meeting of any scale. This video of a Senate forum on March 26 highlights AACR testimony on how the Administration’s actions are negatively impacting cancer research.