A bipartisan group of 196 members of the House of Representatives sent a March 24 letter to appropriations leaders urging them to provide “at least $34.5 billion” for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for fiscal year (FY) 2017.
The letter, which was organized by Reps. David McKinley (R-W.Va.), Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.), and Peter King (R-N.Y.), states, “This amount, which accounts for inflation, is the minimum level of funding needed to reflect the rising costs associated with biomedical research. At a time of unprecedented scientific opportunity, it is critical that the United States make forward-thinking investments that promote medical breakthroughs as well as our international leadership in biomedical research.”
The letter also stresses “the importance of NIH as a job creator, driver of economic growth, and a vital force in curbing our nation’s soaring healthcare costs.”
The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Funding, which the AAMC convenes, has recommended at least $34.5 billion for NIH in FY 2017.