On October 25, ASTRO’s Chair, Howard Sandler, MD, MS, FASTRO, was invited to participate in a White House roundtable discussion on the potential generation of a Global Cancer Fund. The Biden Cancer Moonshot asked stakeholders to discuss how a global cancer fund could help expand access to life-saving cancer services in low- and middle-income countries. “It was fantastic! ASTRO, along with other U.S. and international cancer organizations, were invited to an important White House Biden Cancer Moonshot meeting that focused on developing a Global Cancer Fund,” said Dr. Sandler.

The goal of the meeting was to explore how a Global Cancer Fund could be designed to harness collective efforts from governments, the private sector, non-profits and international organizations to comprehensively address cancer, starting with high-burden cancers like cervical, breast, lung and childhood cancers. Participants discussed the transformative role the Global Cancer Fund can play in market shaping, reducing the cost of essential cancer medicines, diagnostics and technologies, while catalyzing innovation that could have broader health impacts, including against diseases like HIV/AIDS and others.