National Survey on Cancer Research Funding

In conjunction with the publication of its fifth annual Cancer Progress Report, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) commissioned a national survey on cancer and cancer research funding.

Survey Results

Results from the survey include the following:

• More than eight out of every 10 American voters (81 percent) favor using taxpayer dollars to fund medical research; this support for federally funded medical research is bipartisan.
• Nearly three out of every four voters (74 percent) favor increasing federal funding for cancer research, with nearly half (49 percent) of voters strongly favoring doing so.
• By five to one, voters say they would be more likely to vote for a presidential candidate who supports making the fight against cancer a national priority by providing sustained increases in federal funding for cancer research.
• More than five in six voters (85 percent) recognize that progress is being made against cancer.
• Among diseases and other major health issues, voters in all age groups are most worried about getting cancer.
• Nearly nine in 10 Americans (88 percent) know someone who has had cancer; almost half (47 percent) have a close friend or family member who currently has cancer.

About the AACR Cancer Progress Report

The annual AACR Cancer Progress Report is a cornerstone of the AACR’s efforts to increase public understanding of cancer, to highlight the importance of cancer research to improve public health, and to advocate for increased federal funding for the NIH, NCI, and FDA.

The survey results demonstrate that most American voters support the message of the AACR Cancer Progress Report, which highlights how federally funded research can power progress against cancer and urges Congress and the administration to implement a strategy for providing annual budget increases of at least 7 percent for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in fiscal year 2016 and thereafter.

About the Survey

From July 25–29, 2015, Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies conducted a survey among a national cross section of 1,000 registered voters. The interviews were conducted by telephone, including landlines, cell phones, and VOIP connections. The statistical margin of error associated with a sample of this size is ±3.1 percentage points.