Millions of Americans are dying to know what Congress will do
Medical research is at risk in our nation. So too is prevention research, as well as the research needed to combat disease outbreaks, weed out costly inefficiencies and deadly errors from our health care system. The “fiscal cliff,” which includes across-the-board cuts known as “sequestration,” could result in massive cuts to our federal health agencies and policy changes that would place private-sector R&D in jeopardy. These
cuts would be on top of deep cuts already made to research. These continued
cuts are stalling innovation and economic growth and discouraging the next
generation of researchers and patients waiting for cures.
If Congress continues to cut core federal functions, compromising our nation’s health and science agencies (National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and National Science Foundation) and if entitlement and tax reforms undermine incentives for private-sector innovation, what does that mean for our health and economy?
We have much to lose and nothing to gain by federal decision making that stalls U.S. medical progress. We need cures, not cuts.
Please sign this letter to House and Senate Leaders making the case for our nation’s investment in research.
If Congress continues to cut core federal functions, compromising our nation’s health and science agencies (National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and National Science Foundation) and if entitlement and tax reforms undermine incentives for private-sector innovation, what does that mean for our health and economy?
- Less prevention and fewer diagnostics, treatments and cures, despite the recognized need for solutions to the Alzheimer’s crisis and the tragic prevalence of health threats like cancer, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, mental illness, heart disease, lupus and muscular dystrophy.
- Fewer opportunities to capitalize on recent breakthroughs, including sequencing the human genome and new methods of producing stem cells.
- Reduced capacity to ensure the safety and efficacy of new products.
- Stalled efforts to reduce the 100,000 deaths each year from preventable medical errors.
- Missed opportunities to squeeze excess costs out of our health care system to reduce the cost of private insurance and public health programs.
- The continued decline of our public health system, which is responsible for protecting the public from disease outbreaks, bioterrorism, deadly infections and a host of other threats.
- Significant job loss at research universities, academic health centers and independent research institutes, as well as in the device, drug and biologics industries and the thousands of businesses that support our nation’s research enterprise.
- Loss of our position as a global leader in medical R&D, a position not easily regained as other nations vigorously invest in infrastructure and talent and work hard to attract the private-sector capital needed to build the sophisticated research pipeline our nation too often takes for granted.
We have much to lose and nothing to gain by federal decision making that stalls U.S. medical progress. We need cures, not cuts.
Please sign this letter to House and Senate Leaders making the case for our nation’s investment in research.