National Mesothelioma Nonprofit Applauds Congress for Its Bipartisan Support of NIH Funding
Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) April 29, 2014 -- As Congress works to map their federal spending for Fiscal Year 2015, advocacy organizations and members of Congress alike have been announcing their funding priorities for next year. The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) joined One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC) early this year in asking for $32 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, asking that Congress “end the erosion of cancer research funding.” The Meso Foundation applauds Congress for its bipartisan support for prioritizing National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for Fiscal Year 2015 and its efforts to increase federal funding for cancer research.
186 members of the House, including 23 Republicans, support the funding request in a letter to the chairs and ranking members of both the full House Appropriations Committee and its Labor-HHS subcommittee. The letter, organized by Reps. David McKinley (R-W.Va.), Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.), and Peter King (R-N.Y.), requests that NIH receive “at least $32 billion” in FY 2015, stating:
“We feel this amount is the minimum level of funding needed to reflect the rising costs associated with biomedical research. Full funding for NIH is critical if the agency is to continue to serve as the world’s preeminent medical research institution and our best hope for finding cures, improving treatments, and gaining a better understanding of the complex causes of diseases that affect millions of Americans.”
The majority of the Senate (57 Senators, including 11 Republicans) signed a similar letter on April 3rd requesting the chairs and ranking members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Labor-HHS subcommittee “maintain a strong commitment” to funding for NIH. While the letter organized by Bob Casey (D-PA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) does not mention a specific funding level for NIH, it urges appropriators “to consider the tremendous benefits of a sustained investment in the NIH.”
The National Cancer Institute (NCI), housed at the NIH, is currently the largest funder of mesothelioma research in the United States.
Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the lining of the lung, abdomen, or heart known to be caused by exposure to asbestos. Medical experts consider it one of the most aggressive and deadly of all cancers. An estimated one-third of those who develop mesothelioma were exposed while serving in the Navy or working in shipyards.
ABOUT THE MESOTHELIOMA APPLIED RESEARCH FOUNDATION
The Meso Foundation is the only 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating mesothelioma and easing the suffering caused by this cancer. The Meso Foundation actively seeks philanthropic support to fund peer-reviewed mesothelioma research; provide patient support services and education; and advocate Congress for increased federal funding for mesothelioma research. The Meso Foundation is the only non-government funder of peer reviewed scientific research to establish effective treatments for mesothelioma and, ultimately, a cure for this extremely aggressive cancer. To date, the Foundation has awarded over $8.7 million to research. More information is available at http://www.curemeso.org.
Maja Belamaric, Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, http://www.curemeso.org/site/c.duIWJfNQKiL8G/b.8598593/k.D685/Homepage.htm, +1 7038793822, [email protected]
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