WASHINGTON—Feb.
9, 2007—Health research advocates joined today to call on the Congress and the
Administration to work together on a three-year plan to restore the nation's
medical research enterprise. Five eminent medical research advocacy groups -
the Ad Hoc Group for Medical
Research, the Campaign for Medical Research (CMR), the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
(FASEB), the National Health
Council (NHC) and Research!America - joined forces to call for a 6.7
percent increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health in each of
the next three years.
The groups note that if the President's FY08 budget request is enacted, it
would mean NIH's ability to conduct and support life-saving research will be
cut by more than 13 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars since FY03. The 6.7%
recommendation would halt this erosion of the nation's medical research effort,
and permit the world's pre-eminent research enterprise to accelerate the
momentum of discovery to improve the health and quality of life for millions of
Americans.
"NIH-funded research is driving the transformation of the practice of
medicine. At a time of unparalleled scientific opportunities and unprecedented
health challenges, NIH should be positioned to support more research, not
less," stated Richard M. Knapp, PhD, chair of the Ad Hoc Group.
"In order to allow scientists to continue making life-saving, breakthrough
discoveries, it is imperative that we move to a sustainable model of NIH
research funding," said Leo T. Furcht, MD, president, FASEB. "The
6.7% annual increases will allow NIH to make steady research progress to
prevent, diagnose and treat disease."
"Since 2004, the Administration has recommended flat funding for NIH,
ignoring the need to continue to sustain and recruit young researchers,"
said G. Steven Burrill, CMR chair. "The activities supported by NIH are
integral to the nation's international competitiveness and to the health and
well-being of all Americans. What the NIH needs now is funding sufficient to
reverse the budgetary erosion of the last several years."
"In his 2008 budget proposal, the President missed a chance to show real
leadership by calling for renewed emphasis on science and research as the
future of our economy," said Mary Woolley, president of Research!America.
"In a recent Research!America poll, a majority of Americans said more
funding for medical and health research now
is essential to our future health and economic prosperity."
"Saving a little money today makes no sense when the price we pay tomorrow
will surely be much higher in terms of lives that could have been saved and the
loss of our competitive edge in medical research," said Myrl Weinberg, NHC
President. "Let's continue our investment in NIH and not impede American
innovation."
To sustain a national commitment to research and fighting disease, the Ad Hoc
Group, the Campaign for Medical Research, FASEB, the National Health Council
and Research!America urge the Administration and Congress to work to increase
the investment in life-saving medical research.
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The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, the Campaign for Medical Research, FASEB, the National Health Council, and Research!America include more than 500 patient groups, scientific and professional societies, research and academic institutions, and industry that represent more than 125 million Americans.