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Pancreatic Cancer Research at the Department of Defense
PanCAN and our national grassroots community of advocates led the charge to create the first ever source of federal funding dedicated to pancreatic cancer, and in FY20 Congress created the Pancreatic Cancer Research Program (PCARP) within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) at the Department of Defense (DoD). Initially funded with $6 million, advocates successfully got the amount increased to $15 million in FY21 and continued to get that same level of funding each subsequent year through FY24. Unfortunately, the program was eliminated in FY25 along with several other standalone CDMRP programs. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of PanCAN advocates, pancreatic cancer was included as an eligible disease in the Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP). This underscores the impact that continuing to take action throughout the year to urge members of Congress to prioritize funding for pancreatic cancer research funding can have.
Take Action
Raise your voice! Join us in urging Congress to restore PCARP at the DoD in FY26 and increase funding to $25 million!
History of Pancreatic Cancer Funding at the DoD
PanCAN has advocated for increased pancreatic cancer research funding at the National Cancer Institute since 1999. In 2011, we began to push for pancreatic cancer to be included, along with about 13 other cancers, in the PRCRP. Thanks to our grassroots advocates, it was included.
We often get asked: "Why the Department of Defense?" It’s because the DoD manages medical research programs to develop breakthroughs that benefit both the military and the American public by funding "high impact, high risk and high gain projects that other agencies may not venture to fund." A disease must be listed as eligible by Congress and have military relevance to be included in DoD research programs. Research shows that among some U.S. veterans, there is evidence of increased risk of death from pancreatic cancer.
After pancreatic cancer was added to the program in 2011, Congress continued to include it, and year after year, many pancreatic cancer grant applications were received, but only a small percentage were funded. This led PanCAN to begin advocating to create a stand-alone pancreatic cancer research program, which led to PCARP in FY20.
“The goal of the PCARP is to diminish the burden of pancreatic cancer among service members, veterans, their families, and the American public. The mission of the PCARP is to promote rigorous, innovative, high-impact research that leads to new pancreatic cancer diagnostic and therapeutic tools through collaboration.”
- Program Announcement from the Department of Defense
Congress sets the funding amounts for the individual research programs at the DoD each year. That’s why it’s important that PanCAN advocates continue to urge their members of Congress to fund the program each year and provide necessary increases in order to keep pace with the urgent need for progress for patients.
