While the best parts of biomedical innovation are represented by ringing the bell at a cancer hospital after the final round of chemotherapy, the worst are reminiscent of Frankenstein’s monster.
As investigators continue to gain insight into the early days of Covid-19, the origins of the pandemic may be still up for debate. In addition, congressional investigations into the National Institutes of Health have revealed that scientists have conducted, or have been granted approval to conduct, dangerous experiments with little oversight. And in some instances, they have been intentionally deceptive about research being conducted with taxpayer dollars. NIH officials have consistently resisted transparency at every stage of various congressional inquiries.
In addition, we have witnessed how the costs and complexities of administering an agency comprised of dozens of different institutes and centers, offices, and programs have created a fragmented system rife with stagnant leadership, as well as research duplication, gaps, and misconduct.
While most NIH researchers and employees are hardworking people devoted to scientific and medical advancements, this agency’s involvement with the now-debarred EcoHealth Alliance and subsequent cover-up have broken the public’s trust in the agency. It’s time to mend those wounds and rebuild the American people’s trust in the NIH.
As the chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee (C.M.R.) and chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee (R.B.A.), we see the only way toward restoring trust in the NIH is through structural and policy reform that is thoughtful, strategic, and transformative.
As with all taxpayer-funded federal agencies, the NIH has a duty to responsibly steward resources. Both before the Covid-19 pandemic and increasingly since it, the NIH has held a more visible role as the nation’s preeminent public health research agency. It’s important to recognize the unique and personal opportunity costs at stake here. For every dollar used ineffectively, crucial knowledge, cures, and treatments are delayed or permanently abandoned. So it is in the public interest that the NIH works efficiently, effectively, transparently, and — above all — responsibly. Lives depend on it.
Republicans have long been champions of NIH funding. The agency is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, and its role is critical to lifesaving medical research and innovation. Congress has a responsibility to the American people to ensure that the NIH is held accountable and that its mission serves all of our interests. It has been nearly two decades since Congress critically evaluated the NIH and advanced structural legislative reforms. Given concerns raised during and after the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to maximize the impact of taxpayer money, it is imperative to build a stronger and more accountable NIH.
Reform won’t come easily. It never does. But it’s important to start somewhere. To that end, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is unveiling a framework of potential reforms, including streamlining the 27 current NIH institutes and centers into 15 revised ones that better align with overarching goals, missions, agendas, and constituencies. It’s time to move away from a demographic- or disease-specific siloed approach and ensure each institute or center is considering the whole individual and all populations across the entire life span.
This framework seeks to correct persistent issues, such as a lack of transparency in certain grant funding mechanisms and rampant sexual harassment, as well as more recently exposed problems like the escalating threat of foreign undue influence. The House Appropriations Committee will begin reflecting some of the applicable reforms as part of its fiscal year 2025 government funding process.
Let us be clear: We support the NIH and the critical role it plays in serving Americans, furthering scientific discovery, and ensuring the U.S. remains the world’s leading pioneer in basic science and biomedical research innovation. But 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.
Our message to scientists, researchers, patient advocates, colleagues, and the American people is simple: Our door is open. Work with us. Be a partner. A deliberative, engaging process will lead to better outcomes for all. The framework being released Friday is just the start of a robust conversation, not a finished product.
The U.S. became a world leader in biomedical innovation because Americans are resourceful, resilient, and entrepreneurial. Let us continue to build on that legacy and work to ensure the NIH continues to deliver on the promises of hope for those in need.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) serves as chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Rep. Robert B. Aderholt (R-Ala.) serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education Subcommittee.