MEDICAL RESEARCH SAVES LIVES

Disease touches all of us – whether as patients, caregivers, or loved ones. From cancer and stroke to Alzhimer’s disease and opioid use disorder, every community in the United States bears the burden of illness and chronic disease and no family has been left unaffected.

Every minute, someone in the U.S. dies of cancer and is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. These are not just statistics – they represent lives forever changed. But thanks to NIH-funded research, we’re seeing real breakthroughs in how we prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. These groundbreaking discoveries are extending lives, easing suffering, and offering hope to millions.

The return on investment in medical research is dramatic, but it is not just financial – it is measured in lives saved, disabilities prevented, and families kept whole.

The impact of NIH-supported research is clear, and continued federal investment is essential to build on this momentum and bring even more transformative treatments and cures to the people who need them most.

DISEASE-SPECIFIC OVERVIEWS

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Steady funding increases for the NIH are essential to driving progress against deadly and debilitating diseases, including:

Consider that in 2024 alone, NIH research supported:

The development of a blood test that identified Alzheimer’s disease correctly. Such tests assist in speedier diagnoses and improve access to earlier treatments – saving lives.
A brain-computer interface that allowed a man to communicate after his ability to speak was impaired by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
3D maps of cancer which have provided critical information on how tumors develop, spread, and respond to treatments. These maps not only provide greater understanding of the development and progression of cancer in the body, but could also lead to new prevention and treatment strategies.

And there are numerous examples of the impact of NIH-funded therapies on the health and well-being of patients, including the following:

Thanks to recent advancements in gene therapy and decades of NIH-funded research, sickle cell disease is now the first common genetic disorder to have been cured in some patients.
NIH supported years of basic research and clinical studies which produced a cancer therapy breakthrough – immunotherapy – a type of treatment that unleashes the body’s immune system to fight cancer. To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved more than 35 different immunotherapies for patients with different types of cancers.
NIH is currently supporting 495 active clinical trials on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. These prevention and intervention trials explore a wide variety of drug and mechanistic targets.
NIH-supported research on childhood health interventions has greatly reduced disease burden, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating that routine vaccinations of children in the United States born in 2009 will reduce direct health care costs by at least $13.5 billion over their lifetimes.

But medical advances don’t start and stop with the flip of a switch. They require continued year-over-year investments.

INVESTING IN NIH ALLOWS US TO:

Live longer, healthier, more productive lives.

Scientific breakthroughs generated by NIH-supported research are behind many of the gains the U.S. has enjoyed in health and longevity over the last century. Average life expectancy has nearly doubled since 1900, cancer deaths have dropped by 34 percent over 30 years, and HIV has been transformed from a death sentence into a manageable chronic disease. But sustained progress requires sustained investment.

Curb future health care spending.

There is no greater economic catalyst than saving, extending, and improving lives. Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias alone cost the nation $360 billion in 2024 and, without a breakthrough treatment or cure, that cost will grow to nearly $1 trillion by 2050. As the baby boomer generation ages, the strain of Alzheimer’s and other diseases on the health care system, families, and federal spending – particularly through Medicare and Medicaid – threatens to bankrupt the nation making it more critical than ever to invest in medical research and cures now.

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

Every state and congressional district benefits from NIH-funded research. In FY 2024, NIH research funding supported more than 407,000 jobs and generated over $94 billion in economic activity. NIH also sets aside over $1.4 billion every year to specifically support small businesses and startups. NIH funding contributed to research for over 99 percent of FDA-approved drugs approved between 2010 and 2019. And, notably, every $1 of research funding is estimated to generate $2.56 in economic activity, a significant return on investment.

Maintain global leadership.

The U.S. biomedical enterprise, led by NIH, sets the standard for discovery and innovation for the rest of the world. But while global investments in science are increasing, the United States’ share is shrinking. In 2000, nearly 40 cents of each dollar used for R&D was spent in the U.S. By 2017, the U.S. portion was down to 25 cents. Soon, China will outspend the U.S. dollar for dollar in R&D. For example, in 2024, the Chinese government announced a $52 billion investment in R&D. In contrast, the U.S. cut total R&D investment by 2.7% the same year. Robust NIH funding therefore remains essential for the U.S. to maintain global competitiveness.

While the cost of medical research is billions, the return is trillions, and it is priceless to patients and their families.

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