National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Monica Bertagnolli, MD, testified Nov. 19 before the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee regarding the fiscal year (FY) 2025 NIH budget. Throughout the hearing, various subcommittee members inquired about NIH-support related to immunotherapy, diabetes, preventative care, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, oral disease, and nutrition.
Subcommittee Chair Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) reiterated the House-proposed NIH funding level as a starting point in their funding discussions, acknowledging that robust funding for the NIH is instrumental to maintaining the United States’ global leadership in biomedical research. However, Aderholt also expressed that the subcommittee should investigate reform to the NIH’s structure, particularly in the area of foreign influence. He expressed that the provisions included in the current House spending bill to prohibit NIH funding to the Wuhan Institute and research institutes in China, Iran, and Russia are an important step to addressing these concerns.
Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) expressed that she does not believe that the spending bill is the appropriate vehicle to advance NIH reform. Instead, she encouraged a deliberative process to consider a reform through additional hearings focused on the NIH. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) echoed this sentiment, expressing that it is the duty of the subcommittee to hold additional hearings to allow institute and center directors the opportunity to testify.