NCI Releases Annual Strategic Plan and Budget Proposal
Every federal agency is required to submit a plan and proposal to Congress outlining its budget for the next fiscal year—or years—as well as justifications for how and why the department needs the requested allotment. In September 2018, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) released its Annual Plan and Budget Proposal (https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/budget/plan?cid=eb_govdel_en_erb_annual-plan__pa) for Fiscal Year 2020.
As the primary healthcare research agency designated to advance awareness, treatment, and cures for cancer, NCI’s budget focused mainly on those areas of advancement. NCI highlighted the following budget priorities:
- Basic research
- Workforce development
- Big data
- Clinical trial
Also included in the proposal are funding opportunities for the Cancer Moonshot (https://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/moonshot-cancer-initiative), which was authorized by the 21st Century Cures Act and will reach its maximum spending level in 2019. The Moonshot remains a strong incentive funding, because it highlights the real-world impact NCI is making on the advancement of cancer research and treatment in the following areas:
- Understanding the mechanism of cancer
- Preventing cancer
- Detecting and diagnosing cancer
- Treating cancer
- Advancing public health in cancer
- Strengthening the cancer research enterprise
Oncology nurses are vital to many NCI initiatives, including the Cancer Moonshot (https://voice.ons.org/topic/cancer-moonshot). By offering valuable leadership and perspective (https://voice.ons.org/stories/jill-biden-works-with-ons-members-and-others-to-understand-the-caregiver-experience) to further the goals of the Cancer Moonshot, the expertise of oncology nursing will help make a quantum leap forward in the care of patients with cancer.