Collins backs funding for biomedical research

WASHINGTON – Citing the importance of biomedical research for better health, an improved quality of life for all Americans, and a reduction in national health care expenditures, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins has become an original co-sponsor of the Biomedical Revitalization Resolution of 2001. The measure calls for increased funding for the National Institutes of Health, to keep on track to double NIH funding by fiscal year 2003.

“There is no investment that promises greater returns for the American taxpayer than an investment in biomedical research,” said Collins. “Many of the new drugs and medical devices that are currently in use are the result of biomedical research supported by the NIH. This research has made important inroads in treating diseases such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease, osteoporosis, cancer, and immune deficiency disorders.”

The fundamental way science is conducted is changing at a revolutionary pace, demanding a far greater investment in emerging technologies, research training programs, and in developing new skills among scientific investigators.

“Diabetes alone afflicts 16 million Americans and places them at risk for acute and chronic complications, including blindness, kidney failure, atherosclerosis, and nerve degeneration,” the senator said. “Medical research leading to a cure for diabetes would not only improve the health of millions of Americans but also reduce health care expenditures.”