Where does Cancer Research money really go?

The Unfortunate Truth 

The National Cancer Institute reports how appropriated research funds are spent based on different categories or classifications, including specific cancer sites, cancer types, diseases related to cancer, as well as types of NCI research mechanisms.

Dr. Margaret Cuomo, MD wrote about her perspective on this in her recent book,  A World Without Cancer , “When I look at NCI’s budget request for fiscal year 2012, I’m deeply disappointed, though past experience tells me I shouldn’t be surprised. It is business as usual at the nation’s foremost cancer research establishment. More than $2 billion is requested for basic research into the mechanism and causes of cancer. Another $1.3 billion is requested for treatment. And cancer prevention and control? It gets $232 million altogether. (Remarkably, in the very same budget report, the NCI states, “Much of the progress against cancer in recent decades has stemmed from successes in the areas of prevention and control.”)”

The “good” and “bad” of Capitalism

Cancer research is primarily aimed at proving the efficacy of new medications that will be sold to patients. Think about that a second. Our tax dollars and donations fund studies to prove to the FDA the benefits of a drug that can then be sold back to us for a profit. Capitalism, void of morality, is the most corrupt form of government and this can be clearly seen in the way many pharmaceutical companies do business. I’m not so idealistic to understand that money drives this country, however, when billions of taxpayers dollars go to fund studies aimed at bringing profit to an industry over relief to those suffering, something is wrong.

Investigative reporters Robert Houston and Gary Null concluded that Cancer Research institutions have become self-perpetuating organizations whose survival depended on the state of no cure. They wrote, “a solution to cancer would mean the termination of research programs, the obsolescence of skills, the end of dreams of personal glory, triumph over cancer would dry up contributions to self-perpetuating charities and cut off funding from Congress, it would mortally threaten the present clinical establishments by rendering obsolete the expensive surgical, radiological and chemotherapeutic treatments in which so much money, training and equipment is invested.

What about all that donated money?

Here are some quick facts that will hopefully make you think twice before you donate:

-The American Cancer Society (ASC) that sponsors relay for life spends on average $600 million a year on employee pensions. This well over four times the amount the ACS spends on cancer research annually. 

–Retired CEO Donald Thomas’ salary was over $1.4 million, and VP of Divisional Services William Barram was making over $1.55 million.

-In the same year that the ACS was forced to cut budgets for “economic reasons,” the CEO’s salary doubled to over $2.2 million.

-In fact, roughly 95% of their overall donations go towards salaries, leaving a meager 5% to go towards “the cause.”

-There have been several reports over the last two decades of top-tier ACS employees who have either been convicted of or admitted to fraud, tax evasion, and embezzling millions from the company.

-Finally, the most overwhelming of all: in 2010, the ACS donated just one penny ($0.01) for every dollar donation it received.

What to do?

Treating cancer is BIG business in America — in fact, it’s a $200 billion a year business. Yet, a high percentage of conventional cancer treatments not only FAIL miserably, but are also almost guaranteed to make cancer patients sicker. What may be worse is the fact that the powers-that-be are suppressing natural cancer cures that could help tens of thousands of people get well and live cancer free with little or no dependence on drugs, surgery and chemotherapy. Don’t give up on trying to help people, but DO JUST THAT. Help people! Give money to support individuals with cancer where 100% of your dollar will help relieve someone’s needs.