Biden seeks physician input in global cancer fight

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden passionately called for data experts, researchers and physicians to join him in the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative announced earlier this year by lending their talents and expertise to the global fight against cancer. Breaking down the walls that prevent data sharing will be an essential component to the initiative, as is physician input.    Mr. Biden last week addressed the health IT community at Health Datapalooza in Washington, D.C.    “Data and technology—when combined—can have an incredible impact on saving people’s lives and improving the health of people here and around the world,” the vice president said. “Six years ago our administration decided we should open up more of the data that’s held by the federal government to drive progress in medical research and health care delivery.”   Since that time the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published more than 2,100 data sets.    “Imagine what you could do to help in the fight against cancer if you had access to the millions of cancer pathologies and genomic sequences, family histories, and treatment outcomes,” he said. “You know what this significant access to data has enabled you to find out thus far, and I think we’re only scratching the surface.”   4 key ways data will play a role   “Cancer-related deaths are down 23 percent over the last 21 years,” Mr. Biden said. “But we haven’t done nearly enough. We ...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news