Every year, the U.S. Department of Defense asks FCF to reach out to the FLC community to help find consumer reviewers for the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCP). Participation in this program is a great way to support research efforts for FLC and other cancers.

The PRCRP was established by Congress to support innovative, high-impact cancer research, as part of the DOD’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). For Fiscal Year 2025, twelve of CDMRP’s thirty-five existing programs received a total of $650M in funding. The Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program is included in that new budget, receiving $130M. 

This year, the PRCRP’s peer review panels will have two separate cycles, one running between mid-July and early September and the other running from the end of September to mid-November. All panel work and meetings will be virtual.

Overview of the role

Consumer reviewers work with prominent scientists to provide input on how the DOD research funds should be allocated. They act as subject matter experts on their disease, bringing their unique experiences and perspectives to the review panel. This input is critically important to ensure that funded research is relevant and has the potential to make a substantial impact on the patient community.

To be eligible to serve as a consumer reviewer for the PRCRP, the individual must be a survivor/patient or a parent/caregiver. Qualified individuals should be comfortable utilizing their lived experience and community involvement as they focus their review on the potential impact of the research applications. Many members of the FLC community have served as consumer reviewers for the PRCRP in prior years.

Application process:

Patients or caregivers wishing to serve as consumer reviewers are required to submit the following materials:

• A completed nomination form (click to download) 
• A current resume
• A letter of nomination. 

If you are interested in applying, please let us know. FCF will complete the “nominating organization information” part of the form, write the required letter of recommendation, assemble the completed application packs and forward them to the DOD.  

Feel free to contact Lynn O’Malley at lomalley@fibrofoundation.org or Kurt Losert at klosert@fibrofoundation.org if you have any questions about the program or are interested in applying.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to help advance cancer research!