American Lung Association Joins Top Health and Medical Groups to Call on Congress to Reinstate Lifesaving NIH Funding

Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee is holding the first of a two-part hearing series titled "Biomedical Research: Keeping America's Edge in Innovation." Ahead of the hearing, the American Lung Association, along with 13 leading patient advocacy, medical and scientific organizations focused on respiratory health in the United States, sent a letter to the Committee to express profound concerns and to urge its members take action regarding unprecedented funding freezes, termination of approved grants and other administrative actions that have slowed or halted respiratory health research both funded by and at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

The letter, which can be found here, reads in part:

“The NIH represents America's commitment to scientific innovation and public health. The current funding reductions threaten decades of progress in understanding and treating respiratory diseases that affect millions of Americans. At a time when respiratory illnesses remain among our nation's leading causes of death, chronic disease and disability, any delays or cuts to biomedical research will harm lung health. Recently announced policies, including federal travel bans, the significant reductions in force, suspension of federal scientific communications, and funding freezes have brought much of the collaboration between NIH and the larger research enterprise to a halt.”

The letter calls out the impact of these funding reductions, which will be particularly devastating for respiratory health research. These impacts include:

• Delayed Treatments: Americans suffering from chronic and acute respiratory conditions, including asthma, COPD, pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis and other conditions, will wait longer for potential breakthrough therapies that could improve quality of life or even provide cures. Additionally, treating conditions in their early stages is often more cost-effective than dealing with advanced or severe cases.  
• Interrupted Research Pipelines: Promising investigations into treatments for respiratory conditions may be delayed or abandoned entirely. Once research momentum is lost, it can take years to rebuild. 
• Deterred Scientific Talent: Young researchers may abandon careers in respiratory medicine due to funding uncertainty, creating a generational gap of scientists in expertise exactly when we need it most. 
• Economic Consequences: Beyond health impacts, NIH funding generates substantial economic activity, supporting jobs and driving innovation that maintains America's global leadership in biomedical research. In fiscal year 2023, NIH funding generated an estimated $92.89 billion in economic activity. More importantly, this investment returns immeasurable value in improved health outcomes and lives saved. 
• Breakdown in Scientific Collaboration: NIH does more than just fund research. Prior to the abrupt executive actions, NIH staff played a vital role in coordinating research priorities.  Subject matter experts at NIH were in constant dialogue with researchers, patient and professional organizations and other stakeholders to understand and respond to emerging crises, research opportunities and unaddressed needs in the research world.   
• Politicalization of Science - Successful scientific advances require patience and a long vision.  It is right and appropriate for each new Administration to make changes to the research priorities of NIH and other federal research agencies but jarring changes and cuts in research policy after the peer review process delay treatments and squander precious federal research dollars.    

In the letter, the organizations urge the leadership in returning the agency to the world’s premier biomedical and basic science standard by ensuring funding is restored and the administrative actions that have been taken are lifted.  

Read the full letter here.