House passes bill that includes 57% budget cut to medical research programs

Yesterday, March 11, 2025, the US House of Representatives voted 217-213 to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) bill that includes an approximately 57% cut to the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), which fund research projects in disease states such as prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and interstitial cystitis.^1,2

The bill will now move to the Senate.

Specifically, the bill cuts funding for CDMRP from $1.509 billion in FY2024 to $650 million in FY2025. Prostate and kidney cancer research is currently funded at $110 million and $50 million, respectively.² It is unclear what the budget cut, if fully approved, would mean for these programs specifically.

The bill will now move to the Senate, where it needs bipartisan support before it reaches the desk of President Donald Trump for final approval.³ A government shutdown would ensueIf action is not reached on the CR by Saturday, March 15.

If passed, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 would fund the government through September 30, which marks the end of the fiscal year.

Organizational responses

Several urologic organizations have opposed the cut to medial research programs, including Zero Prostate Cancer, a nonprofit prostate cancer organization, who issued a statement on the House decision yesterday.

“ZERO will continue to call on the DOD to protect and prioritize [Prostate Cancer Research Program] funding—because lives depend on it,” they stated in a news release.¹ “We will also continue to advocate for increased education and the importance of screening. Americans deserve a future where prostate cancer is detected early, every patient receives unwavering support, and lifesaving care is within reach for all. This has been our steadfast mission for nearly 30 years, and we will not stop now.”

The American Urological Association (AUA) has also urged its members to contact their representatives to advocate for CDMRP to be funded at the current levels for the remainder of FY2025.²

In a proposed message to send to legislators, the AUA noted that the kidney cancer CDMRP is the only dedicated source of funding for kidney cancer research. The organization also pointed out the importance of prostate cancer funding for active-duty service members, as 80% of this population is comprised of men.

The American Cancer Society also shared a release expressing the risk that this budget cut poses to vital cancer research, specifically in prostate cancer.⁴

“A 57% reduction in CDMRP appropriation will most certainly risk vital advances in cancer research, halting much needed innovation. CDMRP is responsible for several clinical cancer advancements, especially for prostate cancer, the most diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death for men in the United States,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of the ACS Cancer Action Network (CAN), in the release.⁴ “Cancer patients and their families rely on Congress to maintain the critical role of government in the cancer fight, because robust funding is not just an investment in science but a commitment to patient’s lives. ACS CAN calls on Congress to reinvest in the fight against cancer by prioritizing investments in research and prevention that will end cancer as we know it, for everyone.”

Response from a urologist

Adam B. Weiner, MD, a urologic oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, shared his concerns about the proposed budget cuts in correspondence with Urology Times®.

“A key impact of the CDMRP is its emphasis on funding innovative, high-risk research that might otherwise be overlooked by traditional grant mechanisms like those of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). By supporting early-stage ideas, the program enables groundbreaking discoveries that can later attract larger investments from federal agencies and private industry. This approach has led to paradigm shifts in various medical fields, including precision medicine, immunotherapy, and stem cell research,” Weiner noted.

“The CDMRP also provides early career mentored grants specifically for physician scientists. This is absolutely critical to help academic urologists. Early career funding for surgeon scientists is one of the most important factors for success as we are often balancing building new surgical practices. By further limiting the pool of available funding for urologists, the number of future urology principal investigators will decline and research progress for our field will suffer.

The US leads the world in advancements in biomedical research and our future as leaders in this field is unclear.”

Telehealth extensions

The CR includes other implications for urologists as well. The bill also includes language that would extend telehealth flexibilities through the end of September. Without Congressional action, these provisions are set to expire on March 31, 2025.

In a news release from the American Telemedicine Association, Kyle Zebley, Executive Director of ATA Action, applaud this inclusion, stating, “We appreciate Congress taking action to prevent a lapse in these vital telehealth flexibilities. While we would have preferred a longer extension, this step ensures uninterrupted access to telehealth services for patients and clinicians, as we continue working toward permanent solutions that reflect the needs of modern healthcare.”

The Association is urging Congress to reinstate these flexibilities as soon as possible.

REFERENCES

1. ZERO Prostate Cancer responds to devastating 57% cut to lifesaving medical research programs. News release. Zero Prostate Cancer. March 11, 2025. Accessed March 12, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zero-prostate-cancer-responds-to-devastating-57-cut-to-lifesaving-medical-research-programs-302399157.html

2. Action Center. American Urological Association. Accessed March 12, 2025. https://www.auanet.org/advocacy/action-center

3. House passes bill to fund federal agencies through September, though prospects unclear in Senate. Associated Press (AP). Accessed March 12, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-funding-government-shutdown-e027a644af4152377b8cf99f6a91102f

4. U.S. House misses critical opportunity to boost cancer research and prevention funding; Future progress in jeopardy. News release. American Cancer Society. March 11, 2025. Accessed March 12, 2025. https://www.fightcancer.org/releases/us-house-misses-critical-opportunity-boost-cancer-research-and-prevention-funding-future

5. ATA Action applauds inclusion of Medicare telehealth flexibilities in draft Continuing Resolution, urges Congress to reinstate provisions as soon as possible. American Telemedicine Association. March 8, 2025. Accessed March 12, 2025. https://www.americantelemed.org/press-releases/ata-action-applauds-inclusion-of-medicare-telehealth-flexibilities-in-draft-continuing-resolution-urges-congress-to-reinstate-provisions-as-soon-as-possible/