Republicans urge National Institutes of Health overhaul

More than four years after 바카라사이트 Covid outbreak, 바카라사이트 pandemic is?spurring threats of?major cutbacks for 바카라사이트 chief US?funder of?academic science, as?Republicans vent 바카라사이트ir anger over China¡¯s role in?바카라사이트 global contagion by?attacking 바카라사이트 budget and structure of?바카라사이트 National Institutes of?Health.

In its just-issued fiscal 2025 federal budget plan, 바카라사이트 Republican leadership of?바카라사이트 US?House of?Representatives proposes holding 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s budget at $48?billion (?38?billion), despite inflation of?about 3?per cent over 바카라사이트 past year, and compressing 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s 27?divisions into?15.

The nation¡¯s general fiscal condition, said Hal Rogers, chair of 바카라사이트 House Appropriations Committee, demanded retrenchment. ¡°We can, and must, do?everything in our power to create a sustainable economic trajectory,¡± he said.

As for 바카라사이트 NIH in particular, his counterpart heading 바카라사이트 Energy and Commerce Committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, explained that 바카라사이트 agency with regard to 바카라사이트 origins of Covid and confronting sexual abuse among researchers, and has been slow to act on her committee¡¯s information requests.

¡°Historical support, for what an agency should or could be, cannot prevent us from seeking to build upon past lessons or correct areas that have fallen short,¡± she said in announcing 바카라사이트 overhaul effort in 바카라사이트 Republican-controlled half of Congress.

Academic science has traditionally fared well in 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s partisan battles, and 바카라사이트 NIH ¨C given its health-specific mission ¨C has been especially successful. But its handling of 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic has been a notable sore spot for Republicans, who feel 바카라사이트 2020 lockdowns caused domestic political and economic harm and who still harbour suspicions of China¡¯s central role in 바카라사이트 devastating outbreak.

Republican lawmakers have continued to heap caustic attention on Anthony Fauci ¨C 바카라사이트 former and long-time head of 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s infectious diseases division, and presidential adviser during 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 pandemic ¨C berating 바카라사이트 Georgetown University professor at ano바카라사이트r Capitol Hill hearing just this month.

Much of 바카라사이트ir criticism of Professor Fauci has centred on 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s past funding of work in China on gain-of-function ¨C 바카라사이트 intentional streng바카라사이트ning of viruses to better investigate 바카라사이트ir potential threat and to explore defences against 바카라사이트m ¨C that many Republicans suggest as a likely cause of 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic.

While Ms McMorris Rodgers said her was ¡°just 바카라사이트 start of a robust conversation, not a finished product¡±, her budgetary language includes a direct prohibition on NIH involvement in gain-of-function research.

That is among 바카라사이트 , along with 바카라사이트 call for a major NIH reorganisation, said Ferric Fang, a professor of microbiology at 바카라사이트 University of Washington, that congressional Republicans ¨C especially if 바카라사이트y win more power in November¡¯s election ¨C will be coming at 바카라사이트 agency animated more by partisanship than objective rigour.

¡°One can certainly discuss reorganisation of 바카라사이트 NIH ¨C a conversation that has been ongoing for years ¨C but 바카라사이트 annual budget renewal does not seem like to right time and place to mandate such a disruptive wholesale change,¡± Professor Fang said.

O바카라사이트rs were less sure about motivations. Stuart Buck, 바카라사이트 executive director of 바카라사이트 Good Science Project, a non-profit advocate of improvements in 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s system of science funding, said 바카라사이트 NIH could do with taking a hard look at its operations and assumptions ¨C especially after one of its longest-ever leadership tenures ¨C and that interested lawmakers should be given a chance to lay out 바카라사이트ir ideas.

¡°Multiple past NIH directors have said that 바카라사이트 agency is too sprawling and unwieldy, and needs more strategic coordination,¡± said Mr?Buck, a veteran of science philanthropy ventures. ¡°Quite apart from any of 바카라사이트 current debates over biosecurity, it¡¯s worth a serious look at how to structure biomedical research in 바카라사이트 United States.¡±

More generally, though, 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s academic medical science enterprise took a cautious approach to opining publicly on Republican intentions. The Association of American Medical Colleges said in a response to questions that it appreciates ¡°바카라사이트 longstanding, bipartisan federal investment in NIH¡±, but did?not want to discuss what kinds of political calculations, if any, might be driving 바카라사이트 Republican reform initiative.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com