The Cancer Moonshot plan identifies five priority areas (https://www.whitehouse.gov/cancermoonshot/), all of which artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to enhance. Two areas in particular lend themselves to AI (https://time.com/6325485/ai-cancer-moonshot/): the call to 'deliver the latest cancer innovations to patients and communities' and the aim of enhancing 'the oncology model to place cancer patients at the center of decision-making.'

ONS Perspective

“I firmly believe that AI has the potential to change every aspect of cancer care as we know it,” U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) (https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-hosts-discussion-on-ai-in-cancer-research) said.

You may have noticed a trend across many of the latest health news headlines: AI is everywhere today. Agnostic of patients, practice setting, profession, or prognosis, AI’s prospect to transform health care appears limitless—particularly in terms of equitable access to cancer care.

Earlier this week, Rounds led a closed-door panel discussion about AI and cancer. Facilitated by former National Cancer Institute Director Ned Sharpless, MD, the expert panel informed the Senate about “how AI is transforming health care—from research and drug development to the delivery of patient care and treatment.”

From creating chatbots that provide chemo education (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01243-7) to predicting errors that could lead to adverse drug events (https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14779), oncology nurses are leading the advancement of AI (https://voice.ons.org/search/node?keys=artificial%20intelligence), too. Regardless of your level or role, you can contribute by learning more about AI and educating others—including by advocating to your legislators—about its current and future possibilities to bring personalized cancer care to all populations.

Additional Advocacy News

• What Nurse Leaders Need to Consider When Confronting AI (https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/yqkoC0RXYps12NQUDX8lu?domain=healthcareitnews.com)
• Is There a Nursing Shortage in the United States? Depends on Whom You Ask (https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/z_FfCgJQZKTMlEKC2pFPI?domain=statnews.com/)
• FDA Proposes Ban on Hair-Straightening, Smoothing Products Over Cancer-Causing Chemicals (https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/-FTJCjROZMsWjoDU7X5PI?domain=usatoday.com/)
• A Doctor With Brain Cancer Is Helping Transform Its Treatment (https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/D16NClYMxLIQoRmCYCxt4?domain=bloomberg.com)