What are the goals of the Prostate Cancer Foundation?
The Prostate Cancer Foundations ultimate goal is to put an end to the death and suffering caused by prostate cancer by finding cures for this disease. Immediate goals include:
- Understanding how and why 1 in 8 men get prostate cancer, and why some diagnoses are more aggressive than others.
- Supporting scientists as they try to treat patients faster and more effectively.
- Connecting families and clinicians to the latest standard-of-care information, research and clinical trials.
How does the Prostate Cancer Foundation plan to reach its goals?
To quickly accomplish research goals, the Prostate Cancer Foundation uses a model of venture philanthropy that has changed the landscape for funding scientific research; cash in, cash out rapidly to support research. PCF makes award funding decisions within 60 days and funds researchers in no more than 90 days. PCF also recruits the best scientists to energize the field through programs such as Young Investigators and Creativity Awards that support groundbreaking, out of the box ideas, to help accelerate discovery. These strategies include numerous funding programs. They have their own goals but are designed to work together. Most importantly, they are designed to be scalable and self-perpetuating. A complete description can be found here: https://www.pcf.org/funding.
What tools and resources does the Prostate Cancer Foundation have at its disposal?
Financial Capital
The close to $1 billion generated directly by PCF has attracted the infusion of more than $10 billion of additional funding for prostate cancer research—from government agencies, venture capital investments, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, academic research centers and other philanthropies.
Human Capital
From what Forbes called “a research backwater” in 1993, the prostate cancer field—because of interest and funding generated by the PCF—has attracted more than 5,000 medical scientists into prostate cancer research. PCF now plays a part in 90 percent of the field’s published research—a human capital contribution exceeding $100 billion.
Social Capital
Fragmented and underfunded in 1993, the community of medical institutions actively pursuing prostate cancer cures—and applying their findings to other deadly diseases—has grown to include virtually every major cancer research center in North America, and dozens more worldwide. In 1993, it was rare for men to get life-saving screening tests; today, because of PCF awareness programs, more than 60 percent do.
How is progressed measured?
PCF staff closely reviews and monitors funded investigators and researchers to ensure efficiency. Monitoring includes site visits, progress reports and mandatory sharing of results at PCF’s annual Scientific Retreat. Through all reviews, PCF stresses the importance of collaboration and accountability.
No other organization has a more comprehensive view of the landscape of prostate cancer, or grasp of its most promising research, than PCF. The obligation to donor ‘investors,’ and science, is to gather and guide funding as effectively and efficiently as possible. To fulfill this, PCF’s leadership team convenes three due-diligence meetings each week to maintain our “watchtower” perspective of knowing more about where research is progressing, or in need, than any other organization on Earth.
How can I check on the progress to date?
PCF has begun the process of publishing progress reports at www.pcf.org/progressreports so donors can review specific progress in the field of prostate cancer research as funded.
In the 30 years since establishment:
- PCF has helped add more than 30 promising new medicines to the research pipeline.
- The number of FDA-approved treatments for prostate cancer has increased from seven to 27.
- PCF has funded promising nutritional research that promotes good health with simple behavioral changes.
- PCF has also leveraged donations to generate even more support—multiplying every dollar raised 10 to 20 times by stimulating further research funded by government agencies, pharmaceutical companies and other fundraising ventures.