UC Joins Research Institutions to Unveil Report Urging Congress to Support Funding of Biomedical Res

Monday, March 19, 2007: The University of California (UC) today joined a consortium of leading scientific and medical institutions around the country to warn that persistent flat-funding of biomedical research could thwart advances in treatments for such devastating diseases as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. UC is one of nine signatories to the report on the status of U.S. medical research and its funding, which was released at a press conference on Capitol Hill today. The 21-page report warns that multiple years of stagnant budgets for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are hindering scientific progress resulting in promising research being halted in mid-stream; young investigators leaving careers in science; and an undermining of U.S. global leadership in biomedical research. The report urges Congress to provide a more consistent and robust funding level for the NIH if the U.S. is to maintain its status as a leader in scientific and medical breakthroughs. The other universities in the consortium are Columbia University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Texas at Austin, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and Yale University. According to the report, Within Our Grasp-Or Slipping Away? Assuring a New Era of Scientific and Medical Progress (PDF), the doubling of NIH's budget between 1998 and 2003 transformed science in important fields and fueled advances in basic research. But as a result of subsequent flat funding since 2003, the nation is now operating at an 8-percent loss in purchasing power. In California, the implications of this 8-percent cut in real dollars are far-reaching. California receives approximately $3.3 billion annually in NIH funding, half of which is awarded to the University of California. "Many medical breakthroughs have come from basic research conducted in California. NIH-funded research at UC has led to a better understanding of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and a range of other health problems," said UC President Robert C. Dynes. "This report underscores the fact that continued NIH funding is critical to the continued development of new medical advances, which will improve the health of Californians. And it is critical to sustaining America's position of global leadership in medical research." The report describes recent revolutionary advances in basic research, fueled by robust federal investments in NIH funding throughout the U.S., including major achievements related to Alzheimer's disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, obesity, diabetes, and spinal cord and brain injury. UC and the other signatories believe that the momentum gained and advances made will be lost and difficult to reverse if the current trend of flat funding for the NIH continues. Subsequent flat funding already has put many projects at risk. Eight of 10 research grant applications are going unfunded, according to the report. Certain NIH institutes, including the National Cancer Institute, report that they can only fund 11 percent of research project grant applications, rejecting many of exceptional quality. Consequently, young people are turning away from science because the funding situation is so bleak. Scientists report that many of the brightest young minds no longer see the promise of a career in science, choosing instead law, business, and other professions. Losing young scientists today will cost the U.S. in the future, the report warns. "The doubling [from 1998 through 2003] brought in a cohort of research 'baby boomers.' These new investigators suddenly have to compete heavily against each other and against senior investigators for grants. Many of them are leaving," said Dr. Lee Riley, Professor of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley. "This is a crisis for the research community. What is going to happen to the future of health research in the U.S.?" Frustrated by funding lags, scientists are following research dollars to countries in Europe and Asia that are making investment in biomedical sciences high national priorities and actively recruiting star U.S. scientists, according to the report. The report concludes by emphasizing that strong and stable funding is vital to improving health care and strengthening the economy in the U.S. and in California. For more information, contact: Brigitte Donner, 202/ 974-6313. Related Links: Report: Within Our Grasp - Or Slipping Away? Assuring a New Era of Scientific and Medical Progress (PDF) NIH Funding at UC (PDF)