Medical Research

As the American Cancer Society suggests, "The eradication of suffering and death due to cancer should be America's goal."  Brian believes that Congress should be the world's biggest advocate for reaching this goal, which can only be reached by increased funding for cancer research.

This year, the American Cancer Society reported an increase of cancer deaths in the United States. The results, chronicled in the American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts and Figures 2008, came not more than two weeks after the President proposed decreased funding for the cancer research and prevention activities of the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute, both which play a central role in preventing and treating cancer.

NIH and NCI funding also is a local issue, as it is critical to the burgeoning and thriving biomedical research community, most specifically the research entities located at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.  Roswell Park Cancer Institute, University at Buffalo, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, and the world class Toshiba Stroke Research Center all rely on these resources to conduct and enhance their growing biomedical research activities.  In supporting biomedical research we are serving mankind and our families as well as Western New York's economic interest.

Last year Brian worked with his colleagues to combat the proposed cuts to the National Cancer Institute and actually won an increase by the largest amount in the past three years. "Yet under this administration, there have been $250 million proposed cuts in the past five years." said Higgins. "After years of misplaced priorities, I am proud to join my colleagues in putting America back on track toward this goal."

The fight against cancer should be a collective battle, bringing together all relevant parties, including Members of Congress, federal agencies, research institutions, hospitals, health insurers, and advocacy groups to assess what the needs of the cancer community are.