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Endocrine Society, ADA express concern over Trump budget proposal
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In separate statements, the Endocrine Society and the American Diabetes Association opposed the significant cuts to the NIH and other programs that help prevent disease suggested by the federal budget proposal.
The Endocrine Society “strongly oppose[s]” significant cuts to the NIH and CDC and in response to President Donald J. Trump’s proposal, according to their statement.
The CDC runs the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), which seeks to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes in adults older than 60 years by 71%. This program would be “severely curtailed” by the proposed cuts, according to the Endocrine Society.
“Slashing funding would undo and reverse important progress made by the Congress over the past 2 years to restore lost purchasing power to the NIH due to years of flat funding,” Ruth Keri, PhD, co-chair of the Endocrine Society’s Research Affairs Core Committee, said in the Endocrine Society’s press release. “The proposed cuts would stymie and slow efforts to better understand and treat hundreds of debilitating hormone-related diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, thyroid disorders, cancer and infertility.”
The ADA specifically expressed concern for the proposed more than 20% reduction in funding for NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, in addition to the cuts to the CDC and DPP, according to a press release.
“The President’s proposed funding cuts would stifle innovation in diabetes treatment and prevention, while also unraveling lifesaving programs and support in communities nationwide,” William T. Cefalu, MD, chief scientific, medical and mission officer of ADA, said in the ADA press release. “Progress toward a cure will be significantly impacted. Investing in proven prevention programs and diabetes research is the key to reversing the diabetes epidemic; the President’s budget proposal would leave millions of Americans more vulnerable to diabetes and its deadly complications.”
Both the Endocrine Society and the ADA call on Congress to reject this proposal and come to a bipartisan deal that will provide adequate funding for the threatened programs.