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Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee discusses his continued efforts to obtain funding for cancer research.
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When doctor Wilson.
While you and I'm I'm and a wonderful pronunciation my name on our ground very did so -- suddenly your what -- sort of more -- -- the microphone so.
You -- emerges from Washington organ donor.
Where you know it's it's a troublesome time for science.
The NIH budget is threatened the MCI but it has threatened and this is not a partisan issue.
If cancer affects all of us what do -- in the left and right and so.
To very very hard time for the first time in our lives our our lives and livelihood of scientists.
Is threatening because of the budgetary cuts.
We can't do the kind of signs that we need to do so.
All of us are trying to convince people that this is not the time.
To cut back on one of the most fundamentally important projects for Americans and that's supposed.
Specifically researcher and that's facility -- and I -- on on any form of cancer breast cancer prostate cancer.
The National Cancer Institute is a repository of all the cease its it doesn't discriminate one -- -- from another it tries to get the best who sits down.
To hear her move -- all this money arranged for research don't like -- All like -- hoping to campaign for breast cancer.
All we're told them all up money groceries or should -- -- know some -- some others.
How much of that money actually gifts that are.
Well you know depends on the organization generally quite a lot of the money gets to be actually -- but the problem is that you know we're not talking huge populace it's a huge amount of money.
The budget for the national cancer and it is five billion dollars made my -- that's a big amount of money but five million dollars is really quite a small motto might be for instance we spent.
Three trillion dollars on the war in the Middle East just to give you a sense of the comparison that's 600 times.
Your call and resources -- until now.
-- you've done -- We and -- allred close to or cure for any.
Any form to counter what what we've -- over the past several years at seven decades we've cured many forms of cancer.
And velocity leukemia which was a lethal disease.
My laws in this leukemia another phase -- disease are now curable or treatable.
To secure cancer cure what treated with prostate cancer UP police and I've prosecute answer out of the aggressive -- -- -- -- and another being treated so.
I knew it would allow profit I know I and a I nobody knew I don't know you've been passionate about that you know that around in this so.
I think I think we I think you know we've changed the -- economy of these diseases breast cancer you know -- we meet 1015 years survivors.
A breast and prostate cancer -- this wasn't.
It these are really really important milestones in our recent for the so long way to go pancreatic cancer you know we haven't -- -- as much.
As we'd like to -- you effect -- you you do effects on.
But somewhere in a searcher.
A certain secure -- cancer what's it's a form of treatment cannot show them with cure all cancers or c'mon you know coal mining convention -- treatment thus the cure of some cancers I think what changed the way I'm confident that would change the we have to put the money a bit but they resources -- On an effective cure of his students.
Are ineffective dream remembered just goes occur when absolutely not absolutely talk about personal them -- -- Jews.
On drug -- of the above little metal -- comfortable meant to erode Debra wall milder I'm a forty came in here with that part of reversion.
Buffalo one of my amateur and mentioned I think part of -- -- what -- clever idea what a great way to approach of disease.
-- -- -- Almost as a person or are tortured as a novel tell -- about well you know -- -- -- why you decided to do that dot dot approach.
Whether you're at it -- biography of cancer came quite late in the book.
Or is and it was go to history of cancer but they and you know I'm I've become part of the book as you know -- And UN to in the lives of all these people.
It's a little bit like it's a little bit like Lord of the Rings in The Lord of the Rings you never meet The Lord of the Rings now but through the lives of people who -- Lord of the Rings you essentially get a picture of The Lord of the Rings I -- So -- -- that was my sort of my did idiots -- the lives of people encounter cancer physicians mean.
You all of us that we should construct an image of cancer should become really familiar with -- -- -- -- is not one of this this and many many many variants of it.
But you get the core of what cancer is through the lives of people about it.
So you're what is your relationship -- saw.
Also doctors from managed to do not aware of -- -- do the right word but.
A distance themselves from the emotions.
Get in attached to patients are under hundred -- approach.
My interest is just the opposite my approach is I don't I mean I think that you know there's -- there's an adage that says you don't bring are long gone -- -- -- Congo Q.
I think that doesn't work for Madison I think you always bring your work on with you I mean even yesterday.
You know that come back I talk to my two daughters and I talked to them about what have what's going on in my life of medicine.
Good it's not like any other profession you know you're doing an extremely human profession.
And you can't separate out your life in your work because they're part of each other so.
I -- students -- -- to you know bring -- look with you because that's gonna motivate you to come back the next day.
And to continue what's mean it clearly a big struggle the -- emotional toll on -- done doesn't it does absolutely and it should.
I mean you know eat and again it's not like any other profession you -- you you'd it's an it's something special about -- -- -- like doing cancer medicine.
And it takes an emotional toll but that's what you sign up for.
-- tomatoes about -- Dollars like to try to work consultant and -- conversation.
Because I'm not afraid to limit or diamond issue for it.
I'm gonna have a conversation with somebody -- more than five Minnesota doesn't play.
Something about me absolutely you know on a more serious.
All my wife and I have a rancher to have cancer -- and I know about it yeah.
Edwards thirteen years and mom my initial -- approach.
The -- beginning was not -- very aloof.
But these kids are not.
And -- -- get a test of the mumps and not a solution but regrettable and bolivars kids -- retention standard and almost.
Thirteen hundred -- -- now.
But then some started to -- -- and then some overcame.
Who have.
-- -- brain tumors known for some reason.
-- -- -- Well you know the the incidence of brain cancer hasn't really gone up to dramatically removed we've become better diagnosing many of them so we're seeing some of that.
I mean once an ally as there's there's a mystery as to why you're seeing changes in cancer.
But the incident been to isn't in children had has gone up Namibian a lot of it has to do with the embedded Agnes that's my -- -- so we.
So.
Buy and then to start to dip to.
A -- attached to them and bought -- to.
Burma and particularly I think has not -- not being positioned -- in the dominant position to build actually do anything right medically important.
What would you or do we're doing something important for them but we you know from you know and this note there's not -- -- you are doing something important for them and that's the that's the kind of messes that we to get out that all of us.
I mean this is a disease it's an affect all of us wanting to know men one in three women one in four of us would die have it.
And if you know the Japanese talk about the lost decade in which there in an economy stagnated and and then the one below it you know culture began to stagnant.
I just way that is going to be lost decade of science and technology in America.
And if we don't do something about and you write your senators guidance for details of money because of money and because of that we because you know young scientists are moving away from science and technology.
And this is the engine one of the engines that drives the country's I don't want to lost decade it's invite invite to a mean this is going to be our decade if -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- I mean it's one of the woods -- honors and of course I was surprised I was I was in the bookstore now and I turned off my cellphone.
And then once I turn it on -- had seventeen messages so.
Absent it was a wonderful surprise.
-- gonna cell -- and number reports.
Linking Brent cancer and well informed to cellphone to buy any of them.
I don't you nothing -- big studies have not been done yet I think there's a major study that's being launched right now.
But so far I think the evidence is quite weak and -- -- the united we -- -- -- finish the evidence but right now I would to the Evans is not very convincing to me.
-- -- -- I'm working on a book will be out in two or three years.
Again has to do nurse come on our.
What's is about well it's it's early days be a bad but you you do you see it on your show.
