The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published a new report today, The Impact of Federal Actions on Academic Medicine and the U.S. Health Care System, highlighting how proposed federal actions by Congress and the administration represent an existential threat to the nation’s medical schools, academic health systems, and biomedical research institutions.
The brief details the widespread impact of cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, student aid, Medicaid and other essential programs, American global competitiveness, the future of scientific discovery and innovation, and the health of millions of patients nationwide.
“For decades, NIH-funded research has driven groundbreaking medical discoveries and cemented America’s position as the global leader in medical diagnosis, technology, and cutting-edge treatments,” says David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO. “The impact of funding cuts does not stop at university walls; it reverberates through the lives of millions of Americans facing cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and many other illnesses. When we undermine our research institution, we sacrifice the health and well-being of our nation.”
To date, the termination of hundreds of NIH-funded grants has imperiled cutting-edge research at dozens of academic centers, according to a new AAMC data brief that explores the impact of terminations on career development. Among the consequences: the termination of 160 active clinical trials, impacting patients being treated for HIV/AIDS, mental or behavioral health conditions, cancer, substance use, and chronic diseases.