ASH Applauds House and Senate Appropriations Committees on NIH Funding, Urges Continued Support for CDC

Strategic Insights -

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has issued a statement applauding the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for rejecting the Trump administration's proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ASH emphasizes the importance of NIH funding, citing its role in driving scientific breakthroughs that have improved the health of Americans, including those with blood disorders. The Society highlights the significance of NIH-funded research, which has led to the development of gene therapies for sickle cell disease and CAR T-cell therapies for blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.

Key Takeaways:

  • The House and Senate Appropriations Committees rejected the Trump administration's proposed cuts to the NIH, but ASH still urges Congress to provide at least $48.7 billion in funding for the upcoming fiscal year.
  • NIH funding has enabled the development of gene therapies for sickle cell disease, CAR T-cell therapies for blood cancers, and other life-changing treatments.
  • ASH and 90+ organizations called for the restoration of the CDC's Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics earlier this year.
  • The CDC oversees key programs and activities for individuals with blood disorders, including the Sickle Cell Data Collection Program, blood clot education and awareness efforts, and multidisciplinary efforts to provide educational information on thalassemia for patients and providers.
  • The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has a long history of promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology since 1958.
  • ASH is committed to supporting chronic disease education and innovative medical research through its #Fight4Hematology initiative.

Statistics:

  • The NIH is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world.
  • Federal funding of the NIH has enabled the development of life-changing therapies for blood disorders, including gene therapies for sickle cell disease and CAR T-cell therapies for blood cancers.
  • More than 90 organizations, including ASH, called for the restoration of the CDC's Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics earlier this year.
  • The CDC oversees programs and activities that address the burden of chronic disease in the United States, including lifelong blood disorders like hemophilia and sickle cell disease.
  • The NIH has a rich history of driving scientific breakthroughs, with ASH citing NIH-funded research as responsible for "decades of scientific breakthroughs that have directly improved the health of Americans."

Sources:

  • ASH Statement on NIH and HHS Funding in House and Senate Appropriations Bills
  • American Society of Hematology (ASH)
  • Hematology.org
  • Hematology.org/fight4hematology
  • The Blood journals (https://ashpublications.org/journals)