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ACR applauds Congress for $2 billion increase in NIH funding
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The American College of Rheumatology applauded Congress for a $2 billion fiscal year increase in NIH federal funding as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2017, according to a press release.
“The $2 billion funding boost for the NIH is a victory for the 54 million Americans living with rheumatologic diseases, who put their hope in medical research that provides new and more effective treatment options, and that may one day find cures for their diseases,” Sharad Lakhanpal, MBBS, MD, president of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), said in the release. “At a time when arthritis affects about one in four U.S. adults, it is vitally important that we invest in scientific discovery that leads to new disease treatments and breakthroughs.”
The NIH will receive $34 billion in fiscal year 2017, up from $32 billion in fiscal year 2016. The Act also includes funding for arthritis research within the Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program, which will receive $300 million in total for the fiscal year.
“Arthritis is a leading cause of medical discharge from the U.S. Army and disproportionately affects our service members and veterans, so the ACR is encouraged to see that Congressional leaders continue to see the value of funding medical research on arthritis within the military system,” Lakhanpal said. “However, more must be done to help our service members living with arthritis. We are hopeful that Congressional leaders will reach bipartisan agreement on the need to create an arthritis-specific Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program at the Department of Defense — with dedicated funding for arthritis topics — to better meet the care needs of our service members living with arthritis and unlock breakthroughs that will benefit the millions of Americans living with rheumatic diseases.”
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