BackCancer treatment: Here comes US President Joe Biden’s big plan to reduce deaths in US
US President Joe Biden has announced an ambitious plan to reduce cancer deaths in the US.
PremiumCancer is the second leading cause of death in the US after heart disease. And, now, US President Joe Biden has unveiled an ambitious strategy to lower its fatalities. Biden introduced a new organisation called ARPA-H, or Advanced Research Projects Agencies for Health, at a significant policy speech in Boston. Biden lost his adult son Beau in 2015 to brain cancer.
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Cancer continues to be the second leading cause of mortality in the United States, trailing only heart disease, despite advancements in lives prolonged and lives saved. According to Biden, too many cancer patients and their families experience bewilderment and a sense of being on their own rather than hope.
“ARPA-H will have a singular purpose, to drive breakthroughs to prevent, detect, and treat diseases including cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and other diseases and enable us to live healthier lives," he said.
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“Imagine the possibilities," Biden said. The Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is part of the Defense Department, helped advance numerous technologies to safeguard national security, including the Internet, GPS, and many others, according to Biden. DARPA is the model for ARPA-H.
Vaccines similar to those for HPV that could prevent cancer, Biden said while mentioning molecular zip codes that could precisely transport medications and gene therapy to the appropriate organs. Biden spoke about the possibility of a quick blood test identifying cancer at an early stage or determining the likelihood of a successful cure. He also talked about receiving a straightforward shot rather than torturous chemotherapy, or a tablet from the neighbourhood drugstore rather than invasive procedures and protracted hospital stays.
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“Imagine treatments beyond cancer. Bold approaches to reduce maternal mortality, and morbidity, are something Vice President Kamala Harris is laser-focused on. And imagine artificial retinas that could help blind people see. These are just a few of the ideas to illustrate the amazing potential of ARPA-H. When President Kennedy called for a moonshot, we didn't have all the tools and experience needed," he said.
Biden asserted that the US must produce advanced biotechnologies here, which is why he signed an executive order directing the federal government to ensure that biotechnologies developed in the US are produced in the US, whether they are used to treat cancer or for anything else, such as next-generation fuels and materials.
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“Today's action is going to ensure that America leads the world in biotechnology, biomanufacturing, creating jobs, reducing prices, strengthening supply chains so we don't have to rely on anywhere else in the world," he said.
Biden stated that his administration was also launching the first-ever Cancer Moonshot Scholar Program in order to assist a new generation of scientists from all backgrounds and all regions of the country in beginning their ground-breaking research and careers.
“But we need everyone to get in the game. That's why I'm also calling on the science and medical communities to bring the boldest thinking to this fight," he said.
According to the American Cancer Society, there will be 1.9 million new instances of cancer identified and 609,360 cancer-related deaths in 2022. The second leading cause of death in the United States, behind heart disease, is cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(With PTI inputs)
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