Scientific Peer Review of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs’ Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program for the Department of Defense

(Washington, D.C., November 16, 2020) – The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs’ (CDMRP) Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) consumer advocate Steven West recently participated in the evaluation of research applications submitted to the PRCRP. Steven, alumnus of the GLI Advanced Advocacy Academy, was nominated for participation in the program by Global Liver Institute. As a consumer reviewer, he was a full voting member (along with prominent scientists) at meetings to help determine how the $110 million appropriated by Congress for Fiscal Year 2020 will be spent on cancer research.

Consumer reviewers are asked to represent the collective view of patients by preparing comments on the impact of the research on issues such as diagnosis, treatment and quality of life. When commenting on serving as a consumer reviewer, Steven said, “It was a privilege to work with such world-renowned scientists, and to be able to participate in decisions that have positive life altering impacts on patients and families.”

Consumer advocates and scientists have worked together in this unique partnership to evaluate the merit of research applications since FY09. COL Sarah B. Goldman, Director of the CDMRP, expressed her appreciation for the consumer advocates’ hard work. “Integrating consumer perspectives into our decision-making process brings energy and focus to our research programs. Patients, caregivers, family members, and advocates help us keep our efforts centered around what is truly important to those impacted. We very much value this critical input from our consumers who help ensure that CDMRP’s work remains critical and relevant,” she said.

Scientists applying propose to support and promote high-impact research for cancer prevention, detection, treatment, quality of life and survivorship, and decreasing the burden of cancer on Service members, their families and the American public. The PRCRP fills important gaps not addressed by other funding agencies by supporting groundbreaking research while encouraging out-of-the-box thinking.

More information about the CDMRP’s PRCRP is available at the website: https://cdmrp.army.mil/prcrp/.