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Government Relations: Introduction to Government Relations
What is the National Institutes of Health (NIH)?
One important, ongoing issue concerns federal funding of PKD research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The primary mission of NIH research is to acquire new knowledge to help prevent, detect, diagnose and treat disease and disability, from the rarest genetic disorder to the common cold. This is done by:
- Conducting research in its own laboratories;
- Supporting the research of scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad;
- Helping in the training of research investigators; and
- Fostering communication of biomedical information.
The division within the NIH that specifically deals with PKD research is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIH, in turn, is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a Cabinet level agency within the Executive Branch of our Federal Government that is primarily responsible for health care and wellness issues.
How does NIH fund research?
Final decisions about funding research are made at the NIH headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. But long before this happens, the process begins with an idea that an individual scientist describes in a written application for a research grant. The project might be small, or it might involve millions of dollars. The project might become useful immediately as a diagnostic test or new treatment, or it might involve studies of basic biological or chemical processes whose practical value may not be apparent for many years.
The NIH itself is funded primarily by your tax dollars. A principal concern of the NIH is to invest that money wisely in support of biomedical research. They majority of research money that NIH sends out each year is given through grants and contracts supporting research and training at more than 1,700 research institutions throughout the United States and abroad. Most of the remaining funding the NIH uses goes to sponsor projects conducted mainly in its own laboratories.
How does grassroots lobbying of Congress affect research funding at the NIH?
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees in Congress are responsible for writing legislation that funds all aspects of the Federal Government everything from national defense to medical research. The Appropriations Committees are arguably the most powerful committees in Congress. These committees control how much money the NIH receives each Fiscal Year, which in turn determines how much money the NIH can send out to fund research, including PKD research.
On behalf of our members, the PKD Foundation works throughout the year to establish relationships with Senators and Representatives on the Appropriations Committees to make sure they are up-to-date on the latest PKD research initiatives and to ask for their support for continued research through the NIH.
Senators and Representatives respond, first and foremost, to the views of their constituents. That’s why you are a vital part of our advocacy efforts.
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