Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD
ASCO President Bruce E. Johnson, MD, FASCO, released the following statement on June 8:
ASCO congratulates Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, on the announcement of his continued service as the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A renowned researcher and skilled administrator, Dr. Collins appreciates the critical role that federal research plays in advancing our understanding of how to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer and other life-threatening diseases, and has worked tirelessly to ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of biomedical innovation.
Under the careful guidance of Dr. -Collins, the NIH has embarked on a number of new initiatives to modernize and improve biomedical research. He will play a critical role in implementing the 21st Century Cures Act, which gave the NIH new funding and authority to support vital cancer research, including through the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot and the Precision Medicine initiatives.
ASCO looks forward to continuing our work with the NIH and the National Cancer Institute on advancing federally supported basic and translational research and publicly funded clinical trials, which give hope to millions of Americans with cancer and their families. ■
