The recently-passed government funding package authorized $150 million for the Department of Defense peer-reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program (DoD BCRP), enabling the program to continue making scientific breakthroughs in breast cancer prevention, detection and treatment.

Earlier this year, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York and member of the Armed Services Committee, led a bipartisan letter to the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to maintain the level of funding for the program.

“Support for the Breast Cancer Research Program can help change the lives of millions of people fighting this devastating disease,” Gillibrand said. “This program has been at the forefront of breast cancer research and care since its inception at the DoD and the continued funding is essential to life saving scientific advancements. I’m proud to have secured this funding to provide support and care for those fighting breast cancer.”

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, with nearly one in eight women estimated to be diagnosed in their lifetime. Research has shown that breast cancer rates among female service members are significantly higher than in the general civilian population. The DoD BCRP provides transformative breast cancer research, support to individuals and their families through and after breast cancer treatment, and primary prevention. Over 90% of the funds go directly to grants that perform breakthrough research. The flexibility and efficiency of the DoD BCRP allows the program to support scientific advances and fill knowledge gaps by focusing on research that is traditionally under-funded.