VA Medical Research FY 2008 Funding
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Related Resources
AAMC Documents
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Current Status
On September 6, 2007, the Senate passed the "Military Construction
and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2008" (H.R. 2642;
S. Rpt. 110-85 ). The measure includes $500 million for VA Medical
and Prosthetic Research, an $86.3 million (21 percent) increase
over the FY 2007 joint funding resolution.
On June 15, 2007, the House approved its version of the VA appropriations
bill (H.Rpt. 110-186). The bill provides $480 million for VA research,
an increase of $66.3 million (16 percent) over the FY 2007 joint
funding resolution.
On May 25, 2007, the President signed an FY 2007 supplemental spending
package (P.L. 110-28) that includes nearly $1.8 billion in additional
FY 2007 funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), much
of which is specifically targeted to the treatment of veterans from
Iraq and Afghanistan. The supplemental provides an additional $32.5
million for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research program. The
additional funding is dedicated for "research related to the
unique medical needs of returning Operation Enduring Freedom and
Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans."
AAMC Activity
As a member of the Executive Committee of the Friends of VA Medical
Care and Health Research (FOVA), the AAMC recommends a $480 million
for FY 2008 VA Medical and Prosthetic Research, a $66 million (16
percent) increase over the FY 2007 joint funding resolution, and
an additional $45 million for research facilities improvement under
the VA Minor Construction account.
At a March 22 hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee
on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Galen Toews, M.D.,
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, University of
Michigan Medical School, presented testimony on behalf of FOVA.
Dr. Toews outlined FOVA's recommendations, which were echoed by
the American Lung Association, American Psychiatric Association,
American Psychological Association, American Thoracic Society, Fleet
Reserve Association, National Association of Uniformed Services,
Society for Investigative Dermatology, and the Independent Budget
organizations.
Gary Ewart, Director of Government Relations at the American Thoracic
Society, testified on behalf of FOVA at a February 14 House VA Subcommittee
on Health hearing outlining the negative impact of the Administration's
proposed cuts for VA research. In addition to FOVA's recommendations
for FY 2008 appropriations, Mr. Ewart urged the committee to preserve
the integrity of VA's intramural, peer-review system by excluding
earmarks or designations of funds for specific types of research.
Friends of VA Recommendation
VA needs significant growth in its annual Research and Development
appropriation to continue to achieve breakthroughs in health care
for its current population and to develop new solutions for its
most recent veterans. Investments in investigator-initiated research
projects at VA have led to an explosion of knowledge that is advancing
the understanding of disease and unlocking strategies for prevention,
treatment, and cures. The complexity of research combined with biomedical
research inflation has increased the cost of research. At least
$22 million is required just to maintain the current level of research
activity on conditions prevalent in the veteran population such
as diabetes, heart diseases, Parkinson's disease, mental health
functions, aging, and spinal cord injury. Additional funding is
needed to take advantage of the burgeoning opportunities to improve
quality of life for our veterans and the nation as a whole. With
these funds, it is expected that VA would pursue the following in
fiscal year 2007:
- Rehabilitation: Enhance rehabilitation programs for veterans
by funding studies on treating depression and Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD). Continue development of neural and muscular microsensor
and microstimulator technology used to treat paralysis and restore
function in limbs.
- Prosthetics: Develop new sensory and motor prostheses,
including retinal replacements for older veterans and more sophisticated
sensors to provide return stimulation and to work with separately
powered motors in replacement limbs. Develop procedures that improve
prosthetic fit and comfort as well as new prostheses.
- Traumatic Injury: Conduct research on understanding and
treating traumatic spinal cord, brain, and limb injury to restore
veterans to functionality perhaps taking advantage of "neural
plasticity" through intensive rehabilitation. Additionally,
acute and long-term care strategies are needed to address the
polytraumatic blast-related injuries and severe burns being experienced
in Iraq.
- Quality Improvement: Fund the Quality Enhancement Research
Initiative (QUERI) program and other efforts to ensure appropriate,
high-quality care for veterans. VA plans to add centers and initiatives
focused on acute care, long-term care, and health disparities
to an already impressive list of topics being examined under this
innovative program.
- Genomics: Construct a genomic database of the veterans
population to study customizing drug therapy for individual patients,
preventing diseases, and predicting genetic disorders.
- Chronic Diseases and their Complications: Expand work
on understanding and treating chronic diseases and their complications
in such areas as obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obesity,
kidney disorders, heart diseases, diabetes and its complications,
hepatitis C, and stroke.
- Diseases of the Brain: Study stroke causes and treatments
and increase support for researchers working on Alzheimer's disease
and other dementias, Huntington's Disease and Parkinson's disease.
Also, focus on the causes and new therapies for ALS (Lou Gehrig's
Disease) among veterans of Gulf War I.
In addition, FOVA recommends an appropriation of $45 million for
research facilities improvement. State-of-the-art research requires
state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and facilities. Such an
environment promotes excellence in teaching and patient care as
well as research. It also helps VA recruit and retain the best and
brightest clinician scientists. Unfortunately, funding for the VA
Medical and Prosthetic Research program has failed to provide the
resources needed to maintain, upgrade, and replace aging research
facilities.
In House Report 109-95 accompanying the FY 2006 VA appropriations,
Congress expresses concern that equipment and facilities supporting
the research program maybe be lacking and that some mechanism is
necessary to ensure the Department's research facilities remain
competitive. It noted that more resources may be required to ensure
that research facilities are properly maintained to support the
Department's research mission. Many VA facilities have run out of
adequate research space, and ventilation, electrical supply, and
plumbing appear frequently on lists of needed upgrades along with
space reconfiguration. Under the current system, research must compete
in the minor construction budget with other facility needs for basic
infrastructure and physical plant support. To ensure that funding
is adequate to meet both immediate and long term needs, FOVA recommends
a steady stream of resources dedicated to renovating existing research
facilities and major construction funding sufficient to replace
at least one outdated facility per year until the backlog is addressed.
Contact
Matthew Shick, Legislative Analyst
AAMC Government Relations
mshick@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
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