NIH: Supporting Research

What is the issue?

The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is to reduce the burden of neurological disease through research and by improving treatment and enhancing preventive measures. NINDS has contributed substantially to the modern understanding and treatment of neurological disorders.

Few expenditures have paid off more than federal support of the NIH and NINDS. A recent comprehensive review of all phase III clinical trials supported by the NINDS finds that, estimated conservatively, the economic benefit in the U.S. from just eight of these trials exceeded $15 billion over the course of 10 years. The study also found that new discoveries from the trials were responsible for an estimated additional 470,000 healthy years of life. These programs prove their worth every day.

NINDS-supported research has led to the identification of more than 100 genes associated with neurological diseases. Therapeutic strategies based on gene discoveries that are already moving into human clinical testing include ones for ALS, Huntington's disease, ataxias, and muscular dystrophy.

Other accomplishments that are a direct result of NIH research on neurologic conditions include:

• The development of drugs that reduce the severity of symptoms for those suffering with multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease
• The identification of stroke treatment and prevention methods
• The creation of new drugs to help prevent epileptic seizures

Why is it important?

In February 2009 Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which included $10 billion in funding for NIH. These funds will go towards new research grants, as well as renovations and construction at NIH campuses. A second boost also came in March 2009, as Congress and the President approved FY2009 spending measures, which included a 3.2 percent increase in the NIH budget. While this is certainly significant, limited federal appropriations in the past decade have not kept up with biomedical inflation, which has severely impaired the NIH’s ability to sustain previous advances. For example, funding has been especially poor for migraine and other primary headache disorders when considering disease prevalence, disease-associated disability, and disease-associated economic burden. Migraine afflicts 36 million Americans. One in twenty-five Americans experiences prolonged headaches, 15 or more days per month.

Even with recent funding issues, the NIH continues to streamline and improve research efforts. Examples include the completion of Phase I of the John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center that houses neuroscientists from eleven NIH Institutes and Centers that have intramural neuroscience programs. However, for this effort to reach its full potential, Phase II must be completed.

What is the Academy's position?

• Increase NIH funding by 7 percent above FY2009 approved funding.
• Ensure adequate funding in any appropriations sufficient to complete Phase II of the Porter Neuroscience Research Center.

What can you do to help?

The Academy has developed an advocacy toolkit (to the right) to help you advocate on this important issue.