Protect Federal Kidney Cancer Research Funding

Update 3/27/25: Why We Must Restore Funding For the CDMRP

Update 3/24/25: Kidney cancer will not receive any funding this year through the CDMRP. A recent STAT News article summarized the far-reaching impacts of the “devastating” 57% cuts to the CDMRP, which, instead of reducing some funding for the 35 disease research programs supported by the CDMRP, eliminated funding for all but 12 research programs such as breast cancer, melanoma, and Alzheimer’s.

The Kidney Cancer Research Program was one of those eliminated in full from the CDMRP’s budget this year.

STAT spoke to Mark Vieth who coordinates the Defense Health Research Consortium (KCA is a member) to advocate for CDMRP funding.

“No money for kidney cancer,” Vieth said. “No money for pancreatic cancer. No money for lung cancer. It leaves so much completely unfunded. Yeah, wow. It’s pretty devastating.”

Read the full STAT News article.

CNN also reported on this topic. (video courtesy Defense Health Research Consortium)

Update 3/20/25: The recently-enacted fiscal year 2025 Continuing Resolution cuts funding for CDMRP by $859 million, from $1.509 billion to $650 million – a 57 percent cut from FY24 levels. Cuts of this magnitude will significantly disrupt research into new therapeutics for diseases and disorders that impact the men and women in the Armed Services, as well as veterans, military families and the general public. Combined with recent cuts and grant freezes at NIH, the recently-enacted cuts to CDMRP threaten the U.S. position as the global leader in biomedical research, ceding our competitive advantage to China and other global competitors. Congress must work in a bipartisan way to restore these cuts to CDMRP and increase FY26 funding for the program to ensure that our country is prepared to meet current and future public health-related threats and challenges to our national security. We continue to advocate on behalf of patients and families to restore our research funding.

Update 3/17/25: The Senate approved a short-term spending bill, a Continuing Resolution to fund government activities on Friday, March 13, which was signed into law by the President. The bill includes major cuts to research funding including a 57% decrease for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) through which the Kidney Cancer Research Program has been funded at $50 million annually for several years. The KCA continues to remain vigilant and advocate for robust federal research funding.

Update 3/12/25: Last night, the House approved a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would keep the government funded but, if signed into law, would significantly reduce budgets of critical programs including the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). Currently, the CDMRP funds $50 million in kidney cancer research annually.

“Yesterday the House voted to cut by 57% medical research funded by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), which seeks to improve the health and quality of life of the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Services, as well as their families, veterans and military retirees,” said Mark Vieth, Senior VP at CRD Associates and coordinator for the Defense Health Research Consortium, of which KCA is a member. “Since the program was founded in 1992, it has never been cut this severely. This was the worst vote in the history of CDMRP! March 11, 2025 will now be remembered as the ‘Pearl Harbor Day’ for CDMRP.”

According to the CDMRP, if the CR becomes law, they would reduce programs by equal proportions to meet the reduced budget of $650 million. They would plan to proceed in the most fiscally responsible way to minimize management costs and maximize dollars for research programs, and additional program-level information for fiscal year 2025 will be communicated as soon as possible. 

The CR goes to senate on Friday for a vote and, if passed, to the President’s office to be signed into law. 

The KCA continues to advocate on your behalf to our contacts on the senate floor.

Federal funding is the backbone of cancer research done in the US, driving breakthroughs that extend lives, improve treatments, and lead to cures. The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) knows how critical this investment is and continues to advocate for its support. Cuts to this funding would slow progress, limit patient options for treatment, and delay lifesaving discoveries. We remain committed to ensuring research stays a priority for the patients who need it most.

“20 years ago metastatic kidney cancer had a median survival of one year. Today it is five, and counting, due to discoveries and advances made with federal funding,” said Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell, a renowned physician-scientist specializing in kidney cancer who served as the 17th Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

In a constantly changing landscape, we remain committed to advocating on your behalf. We are closely monitoring executive orders and policy changes that could impact you.  

Two major sources of federal funding for kidney cancer research — the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) within the Department of Defense and the NIH — are currently facing significant threats.​

CDMRP Funding at Risk

A budget proposal put forth this week aims to reallocate all Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) funding from the CDMRP to the Defense Health Agency’s Operations & Maintenance account. If implemented, this would result in a 57% cut to the CDMRP, which includes funds designated specifically for kidney cancer research.​

NIH Funding Threatened by Policy Changes

The NIH, a critical supporter of kidney cancer research, is under threat due to recent policy changes:​

• Funding Freezes: The Trump administration ordered a suspension of NIH grant funding on January 27, freezing much of its $47 billion budget. Although courts blocked this order, the administration refused to publish the agency’s meeting plans in the Federal Register, effectively stalling new grant approvals. These freezes result in stalled clinical trials and scientific research.  ​
• Cap on Indirect Costs: On February 7, the NIH announced a cap on support for indirect costs in grants to institutions at 15% of a grant’s value. Indirect costs cover essential expenses not directly related to research, such as facility maintenance and administrative support. Previously, these costs ranged from 30% to 70%. The new cap could lead to significant funding shortfalls for research institutions, potentially resulting in layoffs, hiring freezes, and the termination of research projects. ​
• NIH employees face massive layoffs, further impacting scientific and medical progress.

Take Action: Contact Your Representatives
We will keep you informed about these developments and their potential impact. In the meantime, we urge you to contact your representatives in the House and Senate via the prepared form letter from our partners at the American Urological Association to express the importance of protecting cancer research funding. Your voice can make a difference in ensuring that vital research continues uninterrupted!

Our promise to you:

The KCA is committed to advocating for sustained funding for kidney cancer research and any policies that affect you, your family, and the entire kidney cancer community.