“Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer's, & Other Diseases” will spotlight patients, universities, and researchers impacted by cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) announced that on Wednesday, March 26, at 2:30pm EST they will host a forum: “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer's, & Other Diseases.” The forum will highlight how President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s gutting of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will have generational impacts on finding cures and treatments for serious illnesses that impact millions of Americans each year. The panel will feature former NIH leadership, impacted researchers, and patients of NIH clinical studies. From slashing funding that supports research and clinical trials at universities and research institutions, to cutting funding for Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and for a nationwide diabetes study, to gutting the workforce at the NIH, the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is actively putting cures and treatments for Americans out of reach.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk aren’t just gutting research, they are putting cures and treatments further out of reach for Americans, all to rig the system and pay for tax cuts for their rich friends. We cannot get back the time we are losing for Americans who are holding out hope that their loved one has a fighting chance at getting better,” said Senator Baldwin. “We’re bringing together patients and researchers to show this administration who is impacted by their reckless cuts. Their actions rob patients of a cure, families of hope, and our nation of its competitive edge when it comes to pioneering breakthroughs that have the potential to cure cancer, slow Alzheimer’s disease, and actually make Americans healthier every day.”
“The Trump Administration’s reckless cuts to the National Institutes of Health’s medical research and staff is reckless, illegal, and above all—cruel. Secretary Kennedy, President Trump, and Elon Musk have made it clear they have no interest in advancing cures for the diseases that impact millions of Americans and people globally; they only care about passing on a tax break for their billionaire friends. I’m proud to partner with my friend and colleague Senator Baldwin to reveal in a concrete way the damage this Administration has already done for the physical and economic health of our communities,” said Senator Welch.
Over the last two months, the Trump Administration has attacked, compromised, and gutted research at the NIH for lifesaving cures and treatments, including:
NIH funding contributed to research for roughly 99 percent of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019, including heart medications, according to the Center for American Progress. The advocacy group United for Medical Research found that in fiscal year 2023, funding from the agency supported more than 410,000 jobs, with 10,000 NIH-supported jobs in some states. In that same year, NIH-funded research fueled nearly $93 billion in economic spending. Overall, the economic benefit of NIH funding is more than twice the investment made through NIH appropriations. For a breakdown of how much funding each state receives from the NIH, click here.
###