Cancer Moonshot is a United States government initiative that was founded and launched by then-Vice President Joe Biden in January 2016.
Origins and purpose
During Joe Biden's term as vice president, he founded and launched Cancer Moonshot under President Barack Obama, to support cancer research and enable progress in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
President Obama then later signed H.R. 34, the 21st Century CURES Act on December 13, 2016. The bill included $1.8 billion to support the Cancer Moonshot initiative.
The legislation also commits to combat the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic, as well as additional funds to support mental health reform and an improved drug development process. The bill was later renamed for the funding for the Cancer Moonshot in honor of Biden's eldest son, Beau Biden, who died from brain cancer in May 2015.