NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee at a hearing, Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures. Lawmakers discussed grant review processes, oversight and transparency, maintaining public trust in biomedical research, and key NIH policy issues, including multiyear funding.
In his opening statement, Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), praised Bhattacharya for bringing fresh ideas to the agency, while cautioning that recent funding cancellations have unsettled the research community and could weaken U.S. preparedness for future public health challenges. “We must acknowledge recent actions at NIH have created uncertainty within the American research enterprise and potentially undermine the agency’s ability to serve the public,” Cassidy noted.
Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also raised concerns during the hearing, questioning Bhattacharya about his views on vaccine safety and the NIH’s efforts related to drug pricing. More broadly, lawmakers emphasized the need for collaboration between the administration and Congress to implement reforms and ensure stable, predictable funding for biomedical research.