ASBMB response to destructive cuts to NIH-funded research

ASBMB is gravely concerned about the state and national consequences of the recently announced NIH policy capping facilities and administrative (F&A) costs at 15% across the board. We urge Congress to take swift action to prevent the immense harm this cap would cause.

This cap will amount to an immediate, direct, devastating cut of hundreds of millions of dollars at research-active institutions across the nation and will jeopardize their research enterprises and the tens of thousands of jobs and economic growth it creates. F&A funds are real costs of research conducted in every state —the cost of research buildings, lab equipment, computer supplies, administrative support, and utilities that advance science and generate local jobs.

In turn, research cuts to all 50 states will delay insights that are essential to generate novel treatments for thousands of diseases that cause untold suffering for American families. We can’t make progress that saves and improves lives without basic research on discoveries like how gene mutations are related to blood cancer being studied in Texas or the work in Florida identifying key proteins that could pave the way for treating Parkinson’s and other brain conditions.

America needs more science, not less. Research is essential to make progress on chronic diseases that affect millions of Americans such as cancer, diabetes, traumatic brain injuries, addiction and countless other conditions affecting communities nationwide. We urge Congress to restore F&A funding that is essential to every state and ensure that groundbreaking, innovation research is not lost when Americans need it most.