Pediatric Cancer Community ‘Devastated’ as Funds Removed From Spending Bill [Video]

What’s New

The pediatric cancer community was “devastated” after a flurry of bills that would have reauthorized funding for pediatric cancer research were pulled from a spending bill this week, Nancy Goodman, the founder and executive director of the advocacy group Kids v Cancer, told Newsweek.

“I was just devastated, to be honest. The pediatric cancer community has spent 15 years to get to this point. This is the most significant bundle of pediatric cancer bills ever to be considered in Congress,” she said.

Why It Matters

Pediatric cancer research often goes underfunded, so lawmakers included several bills that would have incentivized scientists and drug companies to allocate resources to this research, Goodman said, noting that advancements in cancer research don’t always benefit children. Only 4 percent of National Cancer Institute funding goes toward pediatrics, she said.

“All these advances for adults with cancer? Kids with cancer don’t get them,” she said in …