NIH Director Addresses Gain-of-Function Research Funding with Senator Tuberville

NIH Transparency and Public Trust

• 💡 NIH is working to increase transparency by removing temporary delays in accessing federally funded research, allowing taxpayers to see results sooner.
• ✅ This initiative aims to rebuild trust among Americans who feel science has become politicized.

Fetal Tissue Research Policy

• 🔬 NIH has ended the use of human fetal tissue from elective abortions in all taxpayer-funded research.
• ⚠️ This decision was made because better alternatives are available that are not ethically conflicted, and to ensure NIH research is morally acceptable to the public.

Funding Disparities

• 📊 A significant disparity exists between funding for osteopathic medicine schools (0.1%) and MD granting schools (40%) from NIH.
• 🎯 The NIH portfolio is considered too concentrated in a few institutions, with plans to broaden the base of funding to include a larger range of ideas and places.

Gain-of-Function Research Funding

• ❓ Senator Tuberville questioned the NIH Director about whether gain-of-function research is being funded domestically and worldwide.
• 🚫 The NIH Director stated that the US will not fund any dangerous gain-of-function research, including future programs in Wuhan, China.