Norwalk, Conn., February 3, 2022 — The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) today issued the following statement regarding the reigniting of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative, which was detailed on February 2 by President Biden at the White House.
“We are encouraged by the Administration’s efforts to bring renewed focus to the Cancer Moonshot and new commitment to ‘change cancer as we know it today.’ When it was first launched in 2016, the Cancer Moonshot had an aggressive goal. Now with today’s advances in science and technology, and progress driven by increased collaboration across the ecosystem, we believe that the ambitious initiative can drive real and rapid change for the millions of people affected by cancer.
In the past five years, we have seen massive momentum accelerating precision medicines to meet the specific needs for more patients. We prepared for this moment by building representative databases, powering advanced clinical trials, and employing the latest technologies. Through our own initiatives, participating myeloma patients share their genomic profiles and clinical records and are provided with specific clinical trials based on their characteristics; at the same time, all patients and their doctors can make more informed decisions based on the shared data from other patients. This is collaboration at its best. And this is only possible through increased data and knowledge sharing. We welcome this call to action.
The fact remains that awareness and early detection unequivocally are only part of a much larger solution. It is incumbent on those on the front lines and deep in the labs to seize this moment and unite behind a common cause to save lives. We at the MMRF are committed to continuing meaningful collaborations, driving increased equity, and pursuing new precision approaches to ensure every myeloma patient is cured.
The promise of novel immunotherapies and genomic medicines is no longer a hope, it is a reality with a potential that can only be fully realized when we eliminate the controllable restraints that limit access and collaboration. These fundamental changes have the potential to impact millions of lives.
The MMRF commitment to ensure trials are representative of patient populations is grounded in a mandate that all MMRF-associated trials reflect the real-world patient population. We know the power of being driven by purpose and have seen it evidenced in the results.
In the spirit of the reignited Cancer Moonshot and our mission to accelerate a cure for each and every patient with multiple myeloma, we welcome collaboration and connection with all like-minded organizations seeking insights on our trial-recruitment model promoting equity and more meaningful trial results. Together we can improve research and ultimately, people’s lives.”
