Rep. David Price, D-N.C., toured a Medical Center laboratory yesterday and met with researchers and physicians to discuss scientists' ongoing battle against prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men.
The researchers discussed with Price their concerns about federal funding. "Research first has to be approved for scientific merit. But if the budget is tight, as it was in the early 1990s, lots of research with scientific merit will not get the funding it needs," said Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, associate research professor of urology and surgery.
Price assured the scientists from the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center that their federal funding is not in great jeopardy. "In order for this to work in the political world, human benefit must be demonstrated. You meet [that criterion] very well, and that's where the money comes from," he said.
The congressman, who represents the Triangle and is on leave from his position as professor of political science at the University, questioned whether the current mechanism for funding prostate cancer research was the best possible way.
Currently, some of that research is funded by the Department of Defense; with the Cold War over, some money that would have gone to building missiles now funds cancer studies.
Dr. Mariano Garcia-Blanco, associate professor of pharmacology and cancer biology, informed Price that the DOD often jumpstarts research that may not receive funding from the National Institutes of Health because the former group "emphasizes a project's promise over its trial data. "
Addressing questions about the future of funding from the NIH, Price said, "The NIH is not in trouble. People won't dare fall short on its budget."
Another purpose of yesterday's visit was for the Medical Center to show its prostate cancer program to Price, said Dr. David Price, an assistant professor of urology and surgery who is not related to the congressman.
"What we have here is a cohesive, multi-disciplinary team made of individuals from the departments of pathology, surgery, urology, radiology, pharmacology and clinical biology," Dr. Price said.
He also expressed concern that only 2 percent of all cancer research funding is spent on prostate cancer. "That comes out to only $240 million spent on prostate cancer research during this whole decade," Dr. Price noted. He then compared the number to the $2 trillion spent on defense, $73 billion spent on the space program and $12 billion spent on all cancer research.
This year, approximately 179,300 cases of prostate cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. About 37,000 prostate cancer deaths are expected this year, making it the second leading cause of cancer death in men.
Rep. Price said he will take the knowledge he gained during Thursday's visit back to Washington. "I don't think that people realize the extent of focused cancer research that goes on here," he said. "I will emphasize this as well as the link between basic research and human well-being."
After the summer recess, the House will consider the budget for biomedical research.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.