For decades, the National Cancer Institute, or NCI, has spearheaded breakthrough advancements against the disease.

Since the 1990s, cancer deaths have been reduced by a third.

But now the world's premier Cancer Institute is in the midst of a fierce battle over its future.

William Brangham spoke with the Ruchina Pradon of KFF Health News.

Rachanapradan, thank you so much for being here. Can you help us understand the scale of the cuts

that are being made at the National Cancer Institute? And are they falling in particular areas or

regions of that institute? Based on what we have heard from scientists who are currently still at NCI and ones who have left,

is that the cuts and the upheaval overall that is happening to this agency are unprecedented.

They have never seen anything like it.

There are people who are leaving and also

being cut that work on various aspects of cancer research and communication. And the second thing is

research money is being cut at NCI and across the board at the NIH. So what you're seeing is

very rapid escalation in the amount of money

that is being trimmed for studying all sorts of interventions, right, to reduce cancer

mortality and morbidity in this country. How does the Trump administration explain that?

Because it seems like funding cancer research and cures for cancer seems like a no-brainer in any administration.

The Trump administration, in response to our story, they actually said that it was misleading and it's a biased narrative and that they are essentially refocusing the National Cancer Institute's work and it represents a necessary transformation, and that

the Department of Health and Human Services, which is where NCI ultimately sits, still values

and plans to prioritize research into cancer and other health conditions.

And so that is what they are saying.

Essentially, it's necessary under the administration's policies and to sort of realline what NCI is doing.

And from talking to researchers and clinicians within the NCI, what have they said to you about what the impact of these cuts has been?

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