Rallying for medical research: VCU faculty join forces in D.C. to advocate for NIH funding
On Thursday, September 19, 2024, more than 200 scientists and patient advocates met in Washington, D.C. for the Rally for Medical Research. This was a call to national policymakers to prioritize funding the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Andrew Barnes, Ph.D., professor, Health Policy, attended the event with several other VCU Health Sciences faculty to advocate for more funding. They met with Senator Kaine’s office, Senator Warner’s office, Congressman McClellan’s office, and Congressman Wittman’s office to ask them to recommend at least $51.3 billion for the NIH’s base program level for fiscal year 25, or fund at the highest possible level and to work in a bipartisan way to pass a fiscal year 25 appropriations bill immediately.
The team left with an optimistic sense that they will avoid a shutdown with a continuing resolution, but there is still lots of work to be done to secure an appropriations bill for next year—which begins October 1—and to protect NIH funding in the future.
Barnes’s sign says “I rally for Medicaid policy research,” which is part of the mission of the School of Public Health and a key part of our work to improve health, well-being, and equity for all populations.
The work continues! We plan to attend next year’s rally with a larger group of VCU Health Sciences faculty and students.
