The U.S. Senate’s Committee on Appropriations held a hearing on the budget request for the NIH in 2012. In his testimony, NIH Director Francis Collins warned that a cut in the NIH budget would make it even harder for applicants to receive funding. About 1 in 5 grants in 2010 received support from the NIH. Without an increase in funding, the NIH would be forced to limit awards to just 1 in 6 grants.
It’s encouraging to see the committee’s proceedings outside of the bipartisan bickering. Senators of both parties seem genuinely respectful of Dr. Collins and the work of the NIH. Still, the NIH budget may be affected by a wave of cutting.