Changing Hearts and Minds
Advocacy is about changing hearts and minds. When it comes to the former, there is no better advocate than Emily Stenson, a mother in Washington state whose 5-year-old daughter, Charlie, has twice successfully battled cancer. With Charlie at her side, Emily delivered extraordinarily compelling testimony before the bipartisan, medical innovation-focused hearing the Senate Appropriations Committee held on April 30. (Watch a recording of Emily’s testimony here and the full hearing here). And on Monday, USA Today published an op-ed by Emily highlighting the importance of continued, bipartisan federal investment in medical research.
This brings me to an advocacy opportunity: Use this editable email to share both Emily’s story and your own with your representatives in Congress. Use your voice to turn the theoretical into the relatable.
Changing Minds: In a JAMA Health Forum article last month, Harvard economists David Cutler (a former Research!America Eugene Garfield Award recipient!) and Edward Glaeser provided data and analysis that drove home some of the effects of the Trump Administration’s proposed NIH cuts if implemented. For example, these cuts could reduce the number of new therapies by about 15%, decreasing life expectancy across the U.S. The authors also warn that a $20 billion cut would shrink economic output by $51 billion.
Earlier this week, the AAMC released an updated issue of the Impact of Grant Terminations: Training and Development brief, another resource to use in your outreach to policymakers.
Bethesda Declaration: More than 340 current or recent NIH staff members sent an open letter to NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya on Monday in opposition to actions they argue “undermine the NIH mission, waste public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe.” Dr. Bhattacharya has expressed his willingness to meet with the signatories. A letter in support of these individuals has so far garnered more than 22,000 signatories. The letter of support remains open.
On the Hill: Dr. Bhattacharya testified at a hearing before the Labor-HHS Subcommittee Tuesday morning focused on the president’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget for NIH. Throughout the hearing, Dr. Bhattacharya stressed that the budget request is a proposal and that he looks forward to working with Congress as the appropriations process continues. Members on both sides of the aisle focused on themes such as the implications of the proposed 38% cut to the agency, the implications of the call for a 15% cap on indirect cost reimbursement, the rationale for “front-loading multi-year NIH grants (see this press statement from the Coalition of Life Sciences regarding this very important issue), concerns about the ever-growing number of terminated grants, and NIH restructuring.
The Bottom Line: This hearing put a fine point on two realities: 1) Your advocacy is having an impact, as evidenced by the concerns raised by members of both parties during the hearing; and 2) advocates need to double-down. We know from more than 30 years of commissioning public opinion surveys that Americans want our nation to lead the fight against deadly and debilitating health threats. Congress and the administration must take action to restore the ability of NIH to do its job and drive that leadership, and in the process, find the cures for what ails us.
Indirect Cost Reimbursement: As previously noted, the proposed 15% cap on indirect cost reimbursement for NIH grants was one of the topics that garnered significant attention during Tuesday’s hearing with Dr. Bhattacharya. The Joint Associations Group (JAG) has been working on potential refinements to the current indirect cost reimbursement system. JAG hosted a public webinar earlier today to discuss their progress and will host a second on June 17 at 1-3 p.m. Register here.
Member-only Alliance Discussion on CDMRP: If you are with a Research!America alliance member organization, join us on Wednesday, June 18, at noon ET, for a strategy session focused on a key driver of medical progress: The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the Department of Defense. Mark Vieth, Senior Vice President, CRD Associates, will join us to discuss the significance of the CDMRP, the current funding landscape, and the role of advocacy in securing the programs’ future. For Zoom registration, please email Jacqueline Lagoy. The meeting is not open to the press or organizations outside the Research!America alliance.
Nominate a Champion: Now, more than ever, we need to celebrate those who are championing medical and health research and innovation in America. Who will be our next Research!America Advocacy Awardees? The Advocacy Awards recognize individuals and organizations whose commitment to advocacy for research and innovation has advanced medical, public health, and scientific progress in profoundly important ways. Take a look at the award descriptions and submit your nominations now. The deadline is Thursday, July 31, so don’t delay!