In a November 20 letter to President Donald Trump, the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) called on the Trump administration to share vital information about its coronavirus response with President-elect Joe Biden and his transition team.
As an association representing 102 leading academic and freestanding cancer centers in North America, AACI joins the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, and other major medical associations to ask the Trump administration to cooperate with the Biden transition team to ensure continuity of care for patients, particularly as it relates to COVID-19. Health care providers at AACI cancer centers care for a particularly vulnerable patient population: many patients with cancer are immunosuppressed, and most have serious co-morbidities that increase their risk of contracting COVID-19. Cancer patients also experience poor outcomes after infection with the virus.
In the letter, AACI leadership stated that the success of Operation Warp Speed hinges upon the Trump administration sharing all information in a timely manner with the incoming administration on the supply of therapeutics, testing materials, personal protective equipment (PPE), and ventilators; hospital bed capacity; and workforce availability.
Though recent news of two highly effective vaccines in late-stage clinical trials is encouraging, COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise as we enter the holiday season.
AACI leaders urged the Trump administration to establish open channels of communication with the Biden transition team. By sharing key information about the virus and efforts to control it, President Trump has the potential to save many lives and reduce the overwhelming burden the pandemic has placed on the health system.
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AACI’s mission is to accelerate progress against cancer by enhancing the impact of North America’s leading academic cancer centers. For more information, please visit aaci-cancer.org.
