Warns Research Cuts in President’s Budget Could Cost Lives
Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, opposes the Trump Administration’s plans to cut $5 billion in funding for vital medical research as part of its proposed fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget. While Komen is pleased to see that the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), the only option for breast and cervical cancer screening for millions of Americans, would be funded at current levels, more funding is needed to serve all who qualify.
“Komen calls on Congress to accelerate the cures for cancer and prioritize access to early detection when crafting the FY27 budget,” said Molly Guthrie, vice president of policy and advocacy at Susan G. Komen. “Everyone has been touched by cancer – we must continue to work together as a nation to support investments that will save lives and, someday, lead to the cures for this devastating disease.”
In the United States, breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women and 1 in 1,000 men over their lifetime. In 2026 alone, an estimated 324,600 people in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and nearly 43,000 will die from the disease—about one life lost every 12 minutes. While these numbers are staggering, critical advances in both research and screening capabilities over the past several decades tell a powerful story: from 1989 to 2022, the breast cancer mortality rate in U.S. women decreased by 44. Yet too many lives are still being lost—many of them preventable. Experts estimate that up to one-third of breast cancer deaths could be avoided if all people had access to the care that exists today. We cannot afford to forfeit this progress – lives depend on it.
Unfortunately, the President’s budget calls for funding cuts and structural changes to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – an institution renowned across the globe for its groundbreaking and vital medical research, and an important driver of the leadership role that the US plays in scientific innovation. Advances in research have been significant for improving breast cancer detection and care. Individuals diagnosed with breast cancer today, depending on their specific type, have a number of treatment options, ranging from chemotherapy and radiation to surgery and prescription drugs, which allow them to live a life beyond their breast cancer diagnosis. These advances, and the lives saved as a result, are thanks to the critical investments that have been made in medical research, including funding at the NIH.
When it comes to cancer, early detection can save lives. The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), established in 1991, helps ensure that individuals with low income and inadequate insurance have access to critical breast and cervical cancer screenings. To date, NBCCEDP has served more than 6.5 million women, provided more than 16.8 million breast and cervical cancer screening examinations, and diagnosed almost 82,000 invasive breast cancers and 26,009 premalignant breast lesions. NBCCEDP has strong bipartisan support in Congress. In fact, for FY26, Congress increased funding for the program by $1 million. Komen is pleased to see that the Trump Administration proposes to maintain this program in FY27 after previous proposals for drastic cuts. However, the demand for the program still exceeds current funding as it can only serve on average 13.5% of the estimated individuals eligible for breast cancer services. Increased investment would allow the NBCCEP to serve tens of thousands of additional people per year, detecting more cancers and helping to create healthier communities.
Breast cancer knows no boundaries – be it age, gender, socio-economic status or geographic location. Komen urges Congress to increase funding for both NBCCEDP and the NIH in FY27, working in a bipartisan, bicameral manner to protect investments and programs that are so critical to the cancer community — because saving lives and advancing cures must remain a national priority.
