Cancer research donations

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Is the treatment we are receiving now better than it was 1 billion dollars in donations ago?

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Yes.

ETA: As to the rest of your post, I'm sure there are some places that aren't using the money for the right reasons. And I'm sure that there are some insane mark ups on treatment and what not. But the treatment is no doubt better than it was and that comes from funding.

So, do you have a cure?

They probably found the cure years ago, but...

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docs, pharma, hospitals, etc are able to charge so much for cancer treatment

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...there isn't money to be made in a cure.

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So, do you have a cure?

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No is that supposed to be witty or something?

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What has society gotten in return for all it has donated?

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In general I'd say Mo Money, Mo Problems when it comes to keeping charitable efforts focused on the original agenda. But we do appear to have made significant progress in treating cancer. Some highlights from an NIH cancer fact sheet comparing mid 70s to mid 2000s LINK

The 5-year relative survival rate for cancers (70s | 00s)

All Types 50% | 68%
Breast 75% | 90%
Prostate 69% | 100%
Lung 13% | 16%
Colorectal 51% | 67%
Bladder 74% | 81%
Childhood Cancers 62% | 81%

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Is the treatment we are receiving now better than it was 1 billion dollars in donations ago?

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Leaps and bounds, yes.

Also, when it is said that there probably is a cure but big pharma, docs, etc... are keeping it quiet because there is no money in a cure...that (in my opinion) is 99.9999% false. Largely people view a cure as some sort of vaccination. That, I’d say, would put a damper on the “cancer industry”. HOWEVER, a cure in the more simplistic manner, still means treating a patient with cancer. Therefore “cancer industry” still benefits. Also, I’ve heard from physicians and researchers who treat/study cancer who said it is ridiculous to think that they would keep a “cure” a secret when their own family and friends suffer or die from it.

Now do donations to cancer research make an impact? Yes. Research is VERY expensive. How much impact? Who knows...

Should you donate? Why not. Maybe you’ll need it one day.

My cheap thoughts.

Thats all good stuff. Im in favor of cancer research for sure. With all the recent revelations about corruption behind the scenes in government, corporations etc it seems to point to a commonality: where there is a lot of money, there is a lot of corruption.

Is there significant enough pressure from the donating public to assure these organizations are transparent and efficient with their money. Is the vast majority of money actually going to research and treatment of those affected?

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Is there significant enough pressure from the donating public to assure these organizations are transparent and efficient with their money. Is the vast majority of money actually going to research and treatment of those affected?

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I think a lot of local organizations put a lot of their donations into transportation to treatment and small reimbursements to patients going through treatment. A smaller percentage goes to research. National organizations put more $$ into research, but that’s where you find chunks going to operating expenes. Very wealthy people like Bill Gates and organizations like Harvard are really making differences in overall medical research because they have more control of how their $ is used.

Thats awesome. Cancer is something I don’t know much about. Its great that strides are being made

Amazing how much money is dedicated to mesothelioma advertisement and how little money is spent for researching a cure.

Same was true with lung cancer during tobacco litigation.

Plaintiff’s lawyers rarely donate 1% of their income to the causes of their clients they so passionately fight for the rights of.