Biden To Cancer Researchers: Work Together
(CBS) – Cancer researchers need to cooperate to advance their cause collectively, rather than pursue the "cult of the individual," U.S. Vice President Joe Biden told oncologists gathered in Chicago Monday.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports.
Biden says he's found the magic word that can make democrats and republicans cooperate in Washington, D.C.: cancer.
"This is the only bipartisan thing left in America right now," he said.
The key, Biden says, is greater transparency and cooperation. Earlier he toured the opening of the Genomic Data Commons at the University of Chicago, a public data platform to storing, analyzing and sharing data on cancer patients.
The American Society of Clinical Oncologists has its own data sharing project, called Cancer Linq.
That's the kind of duplication Biden wants to eliminate. He says too many researchers are working solo, for their own glory, which only slows progress.
"The current system is built on the cult of the individual, at the expense of teamwork," Biden said.
The death of the vice president's son, Beau, from brain cancer only intensifies his commitment to the project, which the administration is calling Operation Moon Shot.
The vice president is convening a national cancer summit next month.