Sen. Warren Seeks $5B Funding/Research Boost for FDA and NIH

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has introduced the National Biomedical Research Act that would increase funding for targeted biomedical research initiatives through a new, reliable funding stream supporting both NIH and FDA. The bill would provide $5 billion annually in supplemental funding for grants for young emerging scientists, and breakthrough research to accelerate development and approval of new medicines, improve prevention, and increase understanding of life-threatening diseases. Warren says the funding boost would help restore the NIH budget roughly to its 2006 levels, adjusted for biomedical inflation.

During a 12/7 hearing, NIH director Francis Collins noted that his agency only funds about 19% of the grant applications submitted by research scientists, including many high-quality applications that would advance biomedical science. “If we look back in history, say back around 2000, 2001, we were funding about 30%, maybe even 35% because funds were more available,” he said.