Men: The disorganized majority

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a major health hazard. In the USA alone, it affect s approximately 10 million men. Its incidence is higher than Breast Cancer' s (BCa) and it kills approximately the same number of men per year as BCa k ills women. Nevertheless, PCa receives about six times fewer federal funds for research and prevention. We have investigated epidemiological trends, t he growth of federal funding for medical research, and the political organi zation of PCa and BCa interest groups in the USA. We argue that discrepanci es in funding stem from the combination of two factors: 1) the relative str ength of each interest group and 2) the social consensus on the relevance o f each disease. We argue that men, especially older and black men, are at a disadvantage in the public policy arena.