ASCO 2016 Highlight: Vice President Biden Presents Cancer Moonshot Initiative

Joe Biden Barack Obama — Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Vice President Joe Biden will give remarks at the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting on the White House’s National Cancer Moonshot Initiative at Chicago’s McCormick Place on Monday, June 6.

“The Moonshot Initiative can be a vehicle for major new progress against cancer, and ASCO's Annual Meeting will address practically all of its essential elements,” said ASCO President Julie M. Vose, MD, MBA, FASCO. “We are excited to welcome Vice President Biden to the meeting, which focuses on the theme of collective wisdom. Like the Moonshot itself, the meeting reflects a bold commitment to bring the cancer community together and share knowledge to improve the care of patients.”

During his 2016 State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama announced that Vice President Biden would lead a national “Moonshot” initiative to eliminate cancer. ASCO wholeheartedly supports the Moonshot Initiative’s comprehensive approach to accelerate the discovery of new cancer treatments, including issues related to enrollment in clinical trials, access to care, federal funding, and information technology and interoperability.

In meeting with Vice President Biden, ASCO has repeatedly stressed how important "big data" initiatives will be to the future of cancer care. Based on input from its members, ASCO is also preparing to submit a set of concrete ideas for the Moonshot Initiative’s consideration to further advance progress against cancer.

Details on Vice President Biden’s ASCO Address are as follows:

What: Vice President Joe Biden’s Moonshot Address at the 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting
When: Monday, June 6
Where: McCormick Place, Hall B1
Access Information: The event will be open to all meeting attendees. Additional information about access and security will be available soon at am.asco.org/moonshot.
Webcast Information: The Vice President’s Address will be webcast live and details will be provided prior to June 6.

ASCO will hold a news briefing on the Moonshot Initiative on June 6, at 9:45 AM CDT, in Room E353a. The speakers will be announced closer to the date.