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Did Joe Biden really claim US has 'ended cancer'? Truth and context behind POTUS's bizarre claim

President Joe Biden's speech from a July 25 mental healthcare event received flak due to his claim of contributing to the 'end of cancer' in the US

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden attended a mental healthcare event on Tuesday, July 25, and drew intriguing comparisons and assertions, claiming to have played a part in "putting an end to cancer as we know it." During his speech, the president seemed puzzled by the disparate treatment of a broken arm and a mental breakdown in American society, contending that he perceives "no differentiation" between the two. 

He went on to emphasize his commitment to combatting the stigma surrounding mental illness by equipping the citizens with the means to seek help whenever necessary. "We're working to improve insurance coverage for mental health in America," the president said, adding, "And folks, you know, I don't know what the difference between breaking your arm and having a mental breakdown is. It's health – there's no distinction. We must fulfill the promise of true mental health parity for all Americans now," he added.

Did Joe Biden really claim that the US has 'ended cancer'?

President Joe Biden asserted that he has been at the forefront of advancing research and treatment to make strides toward eradicating cancer, consistently expressing his aspiration to contribute to the "end of cancer." Notably, the goal holds personal significance for him, as his son, Beau Biden, died in 2015 after battling brain cancer. "One of the things I'm always asked is, you know, why Americans have sort of lost faith for a while in being able to do big things. 'If you could do anything at all, Joe, what would you do?' I said, 'I'd cure cancer'," he said, during his comment on mental health. "They looked at me like, 'Why cancer?' Because no one thinks we can, that's why. And we can. We ended cancer as we know it."

'This makes me very angry'

President Joe Biden's speech soon went viral online and received strong reactions from netizens. One user wrote on Twitter, "Being the fact I spent the last year battling cancer and have friends currently battling it, this makes me very angry." Another stated, "He said, 'we can end cancer as we know it' - not, 'we ended'. Just keeping it honest and accurate." "So if he can cure cancer, why hasn’t he in the 3 years he’s been in office," questioned one, while another expressed, "They may have cured it but won’t share it with the common folk or their pharmaceutical stocks will plummet." A cancer patient sarcastically asked, "So...why do I still have cancer? Does he have to wave a wand and say the magic words "Trunalimunumaprzure"?" while another wrote, "Does that mean I’m cured? Can I celebrate now?"