In a Nod to JFK, Biden Pushing ‘Moonshot’ to Fight Cancer
SnopesNov 25, 2022
The Facts
On Mon., President Biden traveled to Boston to announce his 'Cancer Moonshot' initiative aimed at cutting the cancer death rate by half over the next 25 years.
The announcement took place during a speech at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on the 60th anniversary of Kennedy's 'moonshot' speech that launched the U.S. into the era of space travel.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Following in the bipartisan footsteps of Richard Nixon and giving a nod to JFK, President Biden is launching the Cancer Moonshot initiative to restore America's faith and reinvigorate the efforts in the fight against this horrific disease. The full strength of America's public-private institutions will turbocharge research to end cancer once and for all.
Establishment-critical narrative
The fight against cancer has moved from a biomedical challenge to a social, economic, and political blight. The 'cancer industrial complex' must take the drive for shameless profit out of a vital public good. There is an especially close link between the profit of the cancer treatment industry and the suffering of non-white populations. Any 'moonshot' must prioritize healthcare equality over revenue.
