NIH Prepares for Sequestration Implementation

Posted on February 22, 2013

As mentioned in our blog post yesterday, NIH Director Francis Collins announced that NIH IC directors will develop their own plans for how to apply sequestration cuts to their institutes and centers. This was followed by NIH’s official notice posted yesterday that due to sequestration, NIH likely will reduce funding levels of non-competing continuation grants, make fewer competing awards, and for continuation awards that have already been made, may not be able to reach the full FY 2013 commitment level described in Notice of Award. Confirming Collins’ announcement, it also states that if sequestration occurs, NIH ICs will announce their individual plans to meet new budget levels. Read the full NIH notice here.

The anticipated cuts are already being seen: PIs are receiving awards sharply reduced from committed levels, forcing universities to make up the difference or find cuts, including letting go lab staff. The sequester is scheduled to take effect just a week from today.

McDermott Legislation Aims to Protect NIH from Sequestration

Posted on February 15, 2013

Yesterday, Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced a bill to protect National Institutes of Health (NIH) from impending automatic federal budget cuts. The automatic budget cuts, or “sequester,” will cancel $85 billion in federal spending between March 1 and September 30, including roughly $2 billion from the NIH budget. McDermott’s bill would ensure that NIH’s budget is protected for the balance of this fiscal year.

McDermott’s press release goes on to say that Seattle’s economy relies on federal funding for biomedical research, and that Washington State’s third largest employer, the University of Washington, receives more federal funding than any other public university in the nation.

We applaud Mr. McDermott for his efforts to protect NIH from devastating cuts.

Bill Introduced to Protect NIH from Sequestration

Posted on February 5, 2013

Today, Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) joined his colleagues to introduce a bill to stop the across-the-board budget cuts scheduled for March 1^st with a balance of increased revenue and sensible investments. The Balancing Act will halt impending automatic federal budget cuts, known as “sequester,” which would threaten important national investments like those in medical research—a staple of Washington State’s economy. Read more here.

Sequestration would be a “Devastating Blow” to NIH

Posted on January 16, 2013

NIH Director Francis Collins calls the potential cuts from sequestration a “profound and devastating blow” for medical research. If Congress cannot find a way to achieve debt reduction without massive federal spending cuts, NIH will lose 6.4 percent of its budget this year. This could hurt the availability of research grants. Currently, 80 percent of NIH funding goes to university and medical school researchers but the odds of award have been declining in recent years. According to Collins, only one in six of those that apply receive grants; the chances used to be one in three. And all of this could get much worse if sequestration is implemented.

Sequester is “Uncharted Territory”

Posted on December 11, 2012

I was recently interviewed by Scientific American for an article on the impact of sequestration on NIH funding. My quote: “We are in uncharted territory if the sequester takes effect.”