A draft bill released by the US House of Representatives spending committee would give the National Institutes of Health an additional $1.1 billion in funding, ScienceInsider's Jocelyn Kaiser reports.
Much of that 3.6 percent increase — which she notes is $100 million more than what was requested by President Barack Obama — is allotted for certain initiatives. It includes, for instance, $300 million for Alzheimer's disease research, $100 million for the antibiotic resistance initiative, and $200 million for the precision medicine program.
However, Kaiser notes that the draft bill would also eliminate the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which supports studies of evidence-based medicine.
"While we appreciate the committee's recognition of the critical importance of NIH-funded research, there are aspects of the bill that we find very troubling," Dave Moore, senior director for government relations for the Association of American Medical Colleges tells ScienceInsider.
Kaiser adds that the draft bill is to be considered by the health, education, and labor subcommittee today and go before the full committee next week.