From the desk of John Newby, CEO of Virginia Bio:
“Virginia Bio is deeply concerned about the recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidance to limit funding for medical and life sciences research at universities, hospitals and other scientific entities. This change threatens to hinder scientific innovation, slow medical advancements, and jeopardize economic growth, particularly in states like Virginia, where bioscience research is a critical driver of health innovation for our state, our country and the entire world.
The reduction of NIH funding for medical research will have far-reaching consequences, impacting public health, technological innovation, and the future of our life sciences workforce. Virginia’s life science industry employs more than 30,500 across more than 3,000 establishments, contributing more than $8 billion to our economy. While our innovative industry is also funded by private investment, federal investments (including $688 million in NIH funding) undergird a large portion of support. The limitations to NIH funding envisioned in the proposed NIH guidance will threaten Virginia’s private and public sector innovation, jobs and national leadership in the scientific community. And, ultimately, it is patients who will suffer as advancements towards new innovations and cures is delayed.
This issue was recently raised yesterday in a letter yesterday to HHS Secretary Kennedy joined by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, expressing alarm over these cuts. As we will continue to track the status of this NIH guidance, we will share updates as they become available, and we ask that Virginia Bio members contact us with any questions or concerns. We will be taking up this issue in-person with our federal policymakers at our upcoming Capitol Hill visits and via appropriate correspondences. Thank you for making our industry strong!”