PAN Supports Increased Focus on Translational Research in President’s Budget

The Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) today supported an increased commitment to translational research in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fiscal Year 2011 budget request by President Obama.  In order for the medical breakthroughs of tomorrow to occur, basic discoveries must be translated from the lab into clinical trials and viable therapies and cures.  This requires a wholly different kind of research – translational research – focused on carrying science forward in order to treat and cure people.

“It is heartening that the President is committed to making translational research a priority at NIH,” said Amy Comstock Rick, PAN Chief Executive Officer.  “NIH is a leader in world-class basic research, but the only way we will see that research come to fruition in therapies and cures will be through translational research.  It is so important that NIH work to move its breakthroughs forward to help millions of Americans who could benefit from that research.”

President Obama’s budget also requests an increase in funding for NIH.  PAN is pleased that in these tough economic times NIH’s budget was not cut, but also hopes to work with Congress and the Administration to secure more funds for the world’s preeminent biomedical research organization.  The President’s budget requests $32.1 billion for NIH, a $1 billion or 3.2 percent increase over FY 2010.

While it is promising that the President requested more funding for NIH, a $1 billion increase over FY 2010 barely provides NIH sufficient funds to keep up with one year of biomedical inflation, let alone to meet the research needs that carry over from years of flat funding.  In order to ensure that goals pushed by the President for an increase in translational research and more clinical trials funded by NIH, it is vital that NIH be provided with robust funding.