Disincentives in war on cancer

WASHINGTON - The National Cancer Advisory Board's subcommittee to evaluate the National Cancer Program, in a gloomy evaluation of the fight against the disease, has concluded that a major barrier to cancer research is posed by problems in transferring technology from the public to the private sector.

The board's report, "Cancer at a Crossroads," concludes that U.S. efforts to fight cancer will not succeed unless activities by government, industry and private organizations are coordinated by a cabinet-level authority. In its pessimistic assessment, which the board presented to Congress last week, the report noted that "since 1971 the overall incidence of cancer has increased 18 percent, and the mortality rate has grown by seven percent."...