The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on September 30, 2025, that it will double the funding for the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative at the National Cancer Institute. The initiative's budget will increase from $50 million to $100 million. This additional funding aims to advance research into improved diagnostics, treatments, and prevention strategies for childhood cancer.
The Childhood Cancer Data Initiative was established in 2019 by President Trump to collect and analyze data related to pediatric cancer. With the increased budget, HHS plans to collaborate with private-sector partners who will use artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to accelerate efforts toward finding cures for pediatric cancer.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, and National Cancer Institute Director Anthony Letai joined President Trump at a White House event marking both their ongoing commitment to fighting childhood cancer and the signing of an executive order titled "Unlocking Cures for Pediatric Cancer with Artificial Intelligence."
“For too long, families have fought childhood cancer while our systems lagged behind,” said Secretary Kennedy. “President Trump is changing that. We will harness American innovation in artificial intelligence to find cures for pediatric cancer.”
“We are dedicated to using every innovative method and technology at our disposal in our fight against childhood cancer,” said NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D. “By doubling down on this mission with AI, we are ensuring that state-of-the-art science is being leveraged to provide answers about these diseases that would otherwise be out of reach.”
“Our efforts have helped us learn from every child and better understand childhood cancer, reduce its risk, develop better treatments, and improve survivorship for children, teens and young adults with cancer,” said NCI Director Anthony Letai, M.D., Ph.D., who was sworn in on Sept. 29, 2025. “I cannot think of a better way to begin my tenure at NCI than to redouble our efforts to support our youngest patients and their families facing rare leukemias and other cancers. We will not stop until childhood cancer is a thing of the past.”
According to HHS officials, artificial intelligence will be used within the initiative to maximize insights from electronic health records and claims data in support of research projects as well as clinical trial design. The department also stated that parents would maintain control over their children's health information during these processes.
A report from the president’s Make American Healthy Again Commission has instructed HHS to prioritize research leveraging AI technology aimed at uncovering causes of pediatric cancers early on so preventive actions can be taken during childhood or young adulthood. Pediatric cancers continue to represent the leading cause of disease-related death among children in the United States; since 1975 there has been more than a 40 percent increase in incidence rates.
