The American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society Center · Public domain · source
Name	American Cancer Society
Formation	1913
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Region	United States
Leader title	CEO
Leader name	Karen E. Knudsen

The American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is a nationwide voluntary health organization established to eliminate cancer as a major health problem in the United States. Founded in 1913, it has grown into a major funder of cancer research, a provider of patient navigation and support services, and an advocate for public policy affecting cancer prevention and treatment. The organization partners with hospitals such as Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Johns Hopkins Hospital and collaborates with researchers at institutions including Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

History

The organization was formed in 1913 as part of early 20th-century public health movements influenced by figures associated with American Cancer Society founders and benefactors connected to philanthropic institutions like Rockefeller Foundation and Carnegie Corporation. During the 1920s and 1930s it expanded outreach similar to campaigns by American Red Cross and American Heart Association, while responding to medical advances at centers such as Bellevue Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Post-World War II developments linked it to federal initiatives like the National Cancer Act of 1971 and collaborations with the National Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Through the late 20th century it partnered with advocacy groups such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and foundations like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and interfaced with policy debates involving the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Congress.

Mission and Programs

The organization's stated mission emphasizes research, patient support, prevention, and advocacy, aligning programs with clinical guidelines from American Society of Clinical Oncology, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force. Programs encompass community health initiatives linking with municipal efforts in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago and state health departments in California Department of Public Health and Texas Department of State Health Services. It conducts events modeled on fundraisers by groups like March of Dimes and United Way including large-scale volunteer-driven programs in partnership with corporations such as Walmart, Target Corporation, and CVS Health.

Research and Funding

The organization is a major non-governmental funder of investigator-initiated studies and clinical trials, distributing grants to investigators at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, University of California, San Francisco, and University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Its research portfolio spans basic science similar to laboratories at Broad Institute and translational studies linked to trials at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. It has awarded fellowships and grants comparable to programs from Howard Hughes Medical Institute and has collaborated with agencies like National Institutes of Health and foundations such as Kaiser Family Foundation. The organization also publishes statistical reports used by entities such as World Health Organization and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network-adjacent policy groups to inform decisions by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Prevention and Education

Prevention campaigns emphasize evidence-based interventions mirrored in guidance from American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Surgeons, and recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Educational outreach addresses risk factors including tobacco exposure, linking work to regulations from Environmental Protection Agency and cessation initiatives with partners like Truth Initiative and American Lung Association. Vaccination and screening efforts reference programs by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and draw on screening protocols developed at UCLA Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic. The organization produces materials used by community clinics such as Planned Parenthood and networks like Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Patient Support and Services

Support services include transportation assistance similar to programs at Ronald McDonald House Charities, lodging partnerships with organizations like Airbnb-affiliated initiatives, and navigation resources reflecting practices at Patient Advocate Foundation and CancerCare. It operates helplines and online resources used by clinicians at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and social workers associated with American Hospital Association. Partnerships with insurers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield plans and collaborations with pharmaceutical companies like Roche and Pfizer have supported access programs and clinical-trial information shared with referral centers including Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute.

Structure and Governance

The organization is governed by a board of directors and an executive leadership team with norms comparable to nonprofit governance at Red Cross and United Way Worldwide. It maintains state and regional offices across jurisdictions including Georgia, Texas, California, and New York (state), and collaborates with volunteer leaders drawn from corporations like Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase. Financial oversight follows standards of accounting practiced by entities like American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and oversight seen with philanthropic organizations such as The Rockefeller University.

Controversies and Criticism

The organization has faced scrutiny over fundraising practices resembling critiques directed at groups like Susan G. Komen for the Cure and questions about partnerships with corporate donors similar to controversies involving American Heart Association and March of Dimes. Critics have pointed to conflicts of interest in partnerships with pharmaceutical companies such as Merck and Johnson & Johnson, and debates have occurred over policy positions analogous to disputes involving Tobacco industry litigation and public health advocacy by Big Tobacco-linked entities. Academic commentators from institutions like Yale University, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Chicago have analyzed its grant allocation and advocacy strategies, prompting internal reviews akin to governance reforms at other large nonprofits including Oxfam and Care International.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States