Dr. Rachel Casky has devoted her career to find ways to improve the health of mother's children, but federal financing may threaten years of research.
Casky, a professor and head of the Medicine Department at the University of Illinois Chicago: “The influence of this center on excellence will improve the lives of women and children in societies throughout our city and our state, and we hope in the country.”
Caskey joined other researchers and American Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill. , In a press conference on Monday in the Illinois Medical District to discuss the impact that could have research from the National Institutes of Health in medical institutions throughout the state.
In the fiscal year 2024, UIC won more than 1,000 awards funded by the National Institutes of Health. Casky said that the expenses of $ 200 million were $ 63 million in indirect costs.
During the era of President Donald Trump, the National Institutes of Health announced that they reduce the payments towards the general costs of research institutions that are granted. The new policy will lead to “indirect costs” to search by 15 %, and can leave universities with major budget gaps. Hundreds of medical centers and universities have long relied on such payment at 60 % or more expenses such as facility maintenance, and paid studies and facilities.
“The maximum proposed will reduce indirect cost recovery by more than 70 % at the University of Illinois Chicago, which can have a devastating effect on our ability to conduct life rescue research,” Casky said.
Last week, the Illinois Raul -Raul Prosecutor, along with 21 other Democratic lawyers, announced a lawsuit to prevent the Trump administration from cutting financing.
Dr. Scott Andre Ox, Professor of Pathology and Deputy Dean of Clinical Science Research at the University of Chicago, said that the national health institutes are subject to “political attack”, but medical research is more important to find treatments for diseases and save lives.
“We need to remember that diseases are purple and that medical research is purple,” Oaks said, indicating that health research is a non -partisan issue. “All Americans are vulnerable to diseases, and we all benefit from new treatments that come from the research supported by the National Institutes of Health. Withdrawing or reducing the funding of the national health institutes will stop our collective efforts to find new treatments and leave patients without hope.”
Dr. Robert Higgens, president and chief academic official at the university, at the University of Rush, said there are more than 270 active clinical trials, but the proposed cuts can limit the ability of researchers to make medical progress.
“Although we seem to be an exercise in reducing fats from a financial point of view, at the national level, in reality our ability to advance treatments is to develop new and pharmaceutical treatments that will eventually help us understand, save and save diseases,” said Higgins. “That hope will be canceled that our patients will need and deserve it.”
At the present time, universities and medical institutions are able to continue their work, but the threat remains.
Casky said: “As of today, the message was as usual, but we all see, of course, with great concern to find out where this might go,” Casky said. “Researchers, doctors and patients are very concerned. We get questions in all fields, and they move to patients who ask, especially those who may have participated in a clinical experience or a family member, and now they will end? What can happen?”
Durbin said that research is able to continue because of the lawsuit that prevents politics from being executed.
“This is done in the courts, and for this reason there may be a temporary decrease. I hope it will exceed the matter temporarily, but this research should not be boycotted.”
