February 14, 2011
United for Medical Research released the following press release in response to President Obama’s FY12 budget release:
United for Medical Research (UMR) applauds President Obama’s proposed increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in FY2012, and strongly supports the President’s statement that, “Biomedical research is essential to the health of the American people and the health of our economy.”
“The research funded by NIH is the foundation on which medical innovation is built, said Gregory T. Lucier, UMR spokesperson and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Life Technologies. “NIH funding underpins not only improvements in human health and cutting-edge scientific advancements, but also the life sciences industry which represents one of our nation’s most significant employment sectors. Through funding of research at universities, research institutes and small businesses in all fifty states, NIH fuels the discoveries that provide hope to patients, high-quality jobs for Americans, and economic development in our communities.”
Recognizing that the President’s budget is only the first step in a lengthy federal funding process, UMR looks forward to working with key congressional champions in making President Obama’s vision for the future of innovation a reality. On Wednesday, UMR will unveil, Profiles of Promise: Members of Congress Fighting for Cures, which highlights a bipartisan group on Members of Congress, from the Senate and the House, whose exceptional leadership in supporting NIH and biomedical research reflects the extraordinary promise and opportunity of this historic moment in the life sciences.
Lucier continued, “As we join together to reduce the burden of illness and disease, generate the bioscience jobs of today and tomorrow, and sustain our competitive edge as the global leader in biomedical research, we remain: United for Medical Research.”