“On the eve of his inauguration, the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) congratulates Joseph R. Biden, Jr., the 46th President of the United States.

"ASCO shares the President’s commitment to ensuring equitable high-quality cancer care for every American, and recently released a policy statement that calls for more aggressive steps to achieve equity for all individuals with cancer, particularly as the global COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates existing health disparities. We stand ready to assist President Biden and his Administration as they address the pandemic and work to improve the health of the entire nation.

"We know and respect President Biden’s deep understanding of the personal toll of cancer. Through the Cancer Moonshot Initiative, he channeled his grief to fiercely advocate for faster progress against cancer, bringing together patients, doctors, researchers, and other stakeholders to address the complexity of cancer and the steps that must be taken to reduce its burden on the population. As this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the National Cancer Act, we have a timely opportunity to expand the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot and renew our country’s commitment to the fight against cancer. We hope President Biden will continue to support robust, sustained, and predictable funding for cancer research so that we can accelerate our progress against cancer.

"We are also hopeful that this Administration will pursue responsible, comprehensive drug pricing reform that can achieve the dual goals of lowering prices and guaranteeing patients access to the therapies they need. ASCO calls on President Biden to advance voluntary demonstration projects to test a range of approaches to controlling the cost of cancer drugs.

"With hope and commitment, ASCO looks forward to working with President Biden and his entire Administration to spur research, improve cancer care delivery, and work toward a world where every patient has access to equitable high-quality cancer care.”