Funding uncertainty threatens addiction research
As the U.S. grapples with the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic, the nation has been forced into a deeper conversation about drug addiction and its causes. While we continue to debate solutions, the science is clear: Drug addiction is a disease, and scientists, lawmakers, and the public must come together in support of robust funding for biomedical research to combat this disease.
As a Ph.D candidate at Baylor College of Medicine, my research seeks to develop a deeper understanding of the brain, including identifying risk factors that make some individuals more susceptible than others to the effects of addictive drugs. These advancements, which will assist in the development of novel therapeutic approaches to prevent drug addiction, are contingent upon robust federal funding of keystone agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Recognizing the critical importance of supporting scientific research, Congress has expressed opposition to the substantial cuts to NIH and NSF proposed in the president’s fiscal year 2018 budget. Although House lawmakers are showing support for NIH in their draft funding bill, they have proposed cuts to NSF. Any cuts to research would have widespread repercussions, including delayed progress toward life-saving medical advancements.
With support from NIH, our lab has identified a molecular process that explains why adolescents are more vulnerable to the effects of addictive drugs. We have also pinpointed a genetic variation in the same molecular process that alters the effects of naturally rewarding substances, suggesting that genetic predisposition is a risk factor for drug addiction. In addition to supporting discoveries like these, federal funding of biomedical research benefits our local and national economy.
In FY 2016 alone, NIH awarded Texas institutions nearly $1.1 billion, directly supporting 23,442 jobs and bringing $3.7 billion in economic activity to our state — a return on investment of well over 200 percent. These investments have also contributed to the thousands of bioscience industries in our state, which employ more than 75,000 Texans.
Inconsistent and insufficient federal funding for biomedical research will also have a devastating impact on the future of scientific research in this country. Without adequate funding, young scientists like myself will not have the same opportunities as our predecessors to conduct rigorous, high-quality research, and the field will not be able to retain its best and brightest young scientists. This squanders years of public investment in our training and robs our country of talent that could help us find treatments for the most devastating diseases. Without a new generation of skilled scientists, treatment for the more than 20 million Americans suffering from addiction will remain insufficient.
Investments made today will help develop more effective approaches to drug addiction, improving lives and reducing the more than $740 billion spent annually on costs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care.
As a society, we must engage in thoughtful conversations about the importance of federal funding for scientific research to ensure that America remains at the cutting edge of medical advancement.
I urge U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as U.S. Rep. John Culberson, to increase funding for scientific research and give hope to those struggling with life-threatening and debilitating diseases.”