ZERO Prostate Cancer Responds To Devastating 57% Cut to Lifesaving Medical Research Programs

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Statement Attributable to:
Courtney Bugler, CEO, ZERO Prostate Cancer

"ZERO is profoundly disappointed the House of Representatives has voted to approve a 57% cut to Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), which includes the Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP).

CDMRP's groundbreaking research at the Department of Defense (DOD) has led to FDA-Approved treatments and saved countless lives. Cutting this vital funding is a gut-wrenching blow to the patients, families, and communities who depend on these lifesaving breakthroughs.

Make no mistake, the potential impact is staggering:

• Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men.
    
  
• Veterans and active duty military are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease.
   
• The numbers are even more dire for African American men, who are 70% more likely to develop prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from it.
   
• In 2025 alone, 313,780 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and over 35,000 will lose their lives. 
   
• There are more than 3 Million men living with prostate cancer in America.

With so many lives at stake, this is a fight we cannot afford to lose. Because PCRP has prioritized treatments for advanced stages of prostate cancer, maintaining funding for this program is critical now more than ever given the rise of metastatic prostate cancer in recent years–due to our failure to screen men at the highest risk of developing the disease more effectively.

ZERO will continue to call on the DOD to protect and prioritize PCRP funding—because lives depend on it. 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."

About ZERO Prostate Cancer

ZERO Prostate Cancer (ZERO) is on a mission to improve and save lives from prostate cancer through advocacy, education, awareness, and support. Formerly known as the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, ZERO was founded in 1996 to stand up for people impacted by prostate cancer. Today, ZERO serves as the nation's leading prostate cancer organization, advancing a future where prostate cancer detection is early, support is unwavering, and care is accessible to all. For over 30 years, ZERO has led the way in prostate cancer advocacy, screenings, and partnerships, successfully unlocking funding toward breakthrough discoveries, treatments, and lifesaving access to care. 

As the nation's #1 provider of prostate cancer resources, programs, and services, ZERO has supported millions of people at-risk or diagnosed, and their families. As the voice of the prostate cancer community, ZERO's urgent focus on breaking barriers to survival—by closing gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and care—brings critical attention to those most likely to be impacted by this disease. Learn more at ZEROcancer.org

MEDIA CONTACT:
Steph Johnson - Zero Prostate Cancer
[email protected]

SOURCE Zero Prostate Cancer