AdvaMed was heartened by the February 2, 2022, announcement by President Biden that he is relaunching Cancer Moonshot with a greater emphasis on cancer screening and advances in cancer testing. In his announcement, President Biden proposed a goal of reducing cancer death rates by 50 percent over the next 25 years.

In response to this news, AdvaMed President and CEO Scott Whitaker sent a letter to President Biden thanking him for his renewed commitment to this critical issue, writing, “On behalf of the medical technology industry, and especially the many companies that manufacture all the products essential to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, I want to thank you for your continued commitment to and the reignition of the White House Cancer Moonshot… AdvaMed’s 450 member companies produce the medical devices, diagnostic tests, and health information systems that are transforming health care through earlier disease detection, less invasive procedures, and more effective treatments, particularly in terms of cancer care.”

“AdvaMed’s 450 member companies produce the medical devices, diagnostic tests, and health information systems that are transforming health care through earlier disease detection, less invasive procedures, and more effective treatments, particularly in terms of cancer care.” 

––Scott Whitaker, President and CEO, AdvaMed

As part of the White House Cancer Moonshot, President Biden proposed a series of roundtable events and a summit that brings together agency leadership, patient organizations, and industry leaders to “highlight innovation, progress, and new commitments toward ending cancer as we know it.” Missing from the announcement, however, was mention of medical technology manufacturers who play a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

In his letter, Whitaker urged the Administration to recognize the importance of medical technology in health care and include medtech industry leaders as participants in the Summit and future roundtable conversations on the issue.

At every point along the cancer care continuum, from research and development to screening, the technologies developed my AdvaMed member companies are vital in saving and extending the lives of Americans with cancer, including:

• Research and Development/Biomarker Discovery
• Risk Assessment
• Screening and Early Detection
• Diagnosis
• Staging and Prognosis
• Therapy Selection and Treatment Monitoring
• Treatment (Radiation Therapy; Surgery and Ablation; Therapeutic Delivery)
• Symptom Relief and Mitigation
• Palliative Care
• Monitoring and Treatment Assessment

AdvaMed launched the Cancer Forum to bring together a wide range of medical technology companies whose products are the heart of precision medicine and essential components in every aspect of cancer prevention and care. The Cancer Forum advocates for effective regulation, modernized coverage and payment policies, and the investment in research that are all essential for expanding patient access to essential technologies, reducing health disparities, and supporting technology innovation and high-quality care for cancer patients.