Cutting research staff could endanger lives

Twelve years ago, I was diagnosed with stage-four cancer. Fortunately, I received effective treatment, the cancer was eliminated, and it still is in remission. So I personally have benefited from the treatments developed by medical research.

I am extremely concerned that experienced staff at the Department of Health and Human Services are being fired, and they are withholding funding needed to continue important medical research at our universities. Iowa has among the highest rate of cancer in the United States. I’m worried that this cutting of funding for medical research will result in unnecessary deaths due to cancer and other diseases, such as heart diseases and stroke.

This will unnecessarily endanger the population of Iowa, which is growing increasing elderly and, therefore, increasingly vulnerable. I urge our federal representatives to act now to restore the funding needed to continue lifesaving medical research.

David S. Curry

Iowa City