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🚨 NIH head Bhattacharya is about to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee. We'll be keeping a close watch. Follow along for updates HERE⬇️ (🧵):

Sen. Baldwin with opening statement: "if this administration has its way, it will dismantle biomedical research enterprise...w/o NIH there would be no cancer immuno therapy, no overdose reversal treatment...Congress has spent 100 years building up NIH as the world's premier biomedical institution."

"current administration terminating 2,370 active grants..." Baldwin: political appointees making decisions about which grants are terminated and paid is unprecedented and will result in the politicization of science.

Baldwin: Administration says that we will remain the global leader in biomedical research, but their actions will achieve the opposite.

Bhattacharya : Lists all of the amazing advancements of the NIH. Then he says that the public doesn't trust the NIH... (evidence does not support this) www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Sen Collins: 19 billion reduction (40%) is disturbing and would undo years of investment, delay and stop effective treatments and cures from development. We also risk falling behind China and other nations increasing investment in biomedical research.

Collins: "Why is the administration proposing to cut the funding to the Nat Instituties of Aging when we are making progress on dementia?"

Collins: NIH announced 15% IDC for grantees. This is poorly conceived & is harmful. Leads to brain drain, halting clinical trials, abandonment of research. Against federal law! Alarmed that after commitment during your hearing, this remains in the proposed budget. considering other models of IDC?

JB: Can't speak to 15% because it is under litigation. Opportunity to rethink institutional support and reform.

Baldwin: Raising the alarm about NIH grantmaking being behind normal pace. Currently 3 billion dollar behind year to date. WHO is withholding this funding? JB: Changes in priorities (He made those decisions). Institutions (administration, temporary).

He didn’t answer any of Collins’ questions at all!