Scientific progress – and the nation’s health – depends on NIH funding growing reliably every year.

This is why we must ACT for NIH.

Scientific progress – and the nation’s health – depends on NIH funding growing reliably every year.

This is why we must ACT for NIH.

Our Mission

To educate about the importance of biomedical research and to make increasing biomedical research funding a national priority.

Girl in physical therapy — Credit: Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health

Exterior view of the National Institutes of Health building — Credit: Lydia Polimeni, National Institutes of Health

About the NIH

The National Institutes of Health is America’s medical research agency and the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world.

NIH’s investments act as an economic multiplier in local economies, set the standard for innovation and discovery across the globe, and spark scientific advances that improve the understanding, treatment, and prevention of thousands of costly and devastating diseases.

Why We ACT

Medical research accounts for less than one percent of the federal budget, and NIH’s purchasing power remains below 2003 levels. If funding had kept up with biomedical inflation, NIH would have millions more today to invest in life-saving research.

Further, NIH cannot even afford to fund one in five research proposals submitted by scientists nationwide. With increased funding, NIH could support more groundbreaking projects – which would help the United States make more progress against more diseases faster.

Therefore, we must ACT!

FACT SHEET: MEDICAL RESEARCH SAVES LIVES (DOWNLOADABLE PDF)

Investing in NIH allows us to…

Live longer, healthier, more productive lives

Curb future health care spending

Support the U.S. economy, jobs, and small businesses

Maintain global leadership

By The Numbers

4.5M

The American Cancer Society estimates that 4.5 million lives were saved from 1991-2022 as a result of improvements in cancer treatment, detection, and prevention, many of which were funded and driven by NIH.

$94.5B

NIH-funded research, jobs, materials, and services generated approximately $94.5 billion in economic activity in FY 2024.

407K

NIH directly and indirectly supported more than 407,000 jobs across the country in FY 2024.