Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

advancing

NIH/NIDCR Funding

Friends of NIDCR strives to ensure that Congress is committed to providing vital dental health services and supporting research initiatives to our nation. This is accomplished through the proper funding of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). A legislative update on the appropriations of funds to NIH and NIDCR is provided below.

Budget Report

Congress Reaches Deal on FY12 Funding;
NIDCR Funding Increases Slightly

Congress reached an agreement on an FY2012 spending bill that will fund the federal government through September 30, 2012, thus averting a government shutdown.

The FY12 spending bill contains $411.48 million for NIDCR.

This is a slight increase of $1.88 million from the enacted FY2011 funding level, but $8.88 million below the president's FY2012 request. For FY2012, NIDCR will be funded at 1.34% of NIH's total funding.

"We thank the champions of oral health research on Capitol Hill that sought to protect investment in research," said FNIDCR President Dr. Christian Stohler. "Although we welcome the slight increase in oral health research funding from 1.33% to 1.34%, especially in such a tight budgetary environment, we are disappointed that the percentage of total NIH funding that is allocated to NIDCR remains below our request of 1.37 percent."

The bill funds the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at $30.69 billion, a $1.7 million increase from the FY2011 enacted level.

In the report that accompanied the spending bill, the appropriators wrote, "The conferees recognize NIH's mission to invest in basic biomedical research and apply that knowledge to enhance our Nation's health and well-being, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. NIH is strongly urged to ensure its policies continue to support a robust extramural community and make certain sufficient research resources are available to the more than 300,000 NIH-supported scientists at over 3,100 institutions across the country." The conferees urge NIH to maintain the near 90 percent level of its budget for extramural research.

FNIDCR Urges Robust FY13 NIH Funding

In a letter sent to President Barack Obama and to the Office of Management & Budget (OMB), FNIDCR President Dr. Christian Stohler advocated for robust NIH funding for Fiscal Year 2013. Dr. Stohler outlined the merits of funding medical research, including how it drives the economy, how it is valued by Americans, and how the return on investment can be significant.

In addition, the letter places emphasis on NIDCR-funded research as research that benefits a "broad spectrum of Americans" from children to cancer patients to combat troops. "A robust NIH budget in FY13 ensures researchers will continue their invaluable work to improve the lives of Americans and continue to drive the U.S. economy," wrote Dr. Stohler.

NIH and NIDCR Funding Fiscal Years 2001-2011
	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
NIH funding in billions	$20.3	$23	$27.1	$27.8	$28.5	$28.5	$29	$29.5	$30.3	$31	$30.7	$30.7
% change	15.2%	13%	15.3%	2.5%	2.5%	-.3%	1.8%	1.7%	2.92%	2.3%	-0.9%	0%
NIDCR funding in millions	$306.1	$342.9	$371.6	$382	$389.3	$385.6	$389.8	$390.1	$402.6	$413.2	$409.6	$411.8
% change	14%	12%	8.4%	2.8%	1.9%	-1%	1%	.003%	3.32%	2.6%	-0.87%	.54%
NIDCR as a % of NIH	1.51%	1.49%	1.37%	1.36%	1.36%	1.35%	1.34%	1.33%	1.33%	1.33%	1.33%	1.34%

Did You Know?

NIDCR is the nation's leading funding agent of oral, dental and craniofacial research;
Approximately 75% of NIDCR's budget goes to the support of grantees at universities, dental schools and medical schools across the country and around the world;
NIDCR FY10 funding supported:
- 824 grants to U.S. institutions;
- In 43 states & U.S. territories
- In 132 congressional districts

Want to Help Protect Investment in Medical Research? Add Your Voice!

Contact Your Senators and U.S. Representative today and urge them to support and advance oral health research by:

Contacting your member of Congress — advise them that you are a constituent from ______ [city/town].
Asking to speak to the Health Legislative Assistant
Advising the Health LA that:
1. Cuts to medical research at NIH, especially oral health research at NIDCR, does more harm than good.
2. Cuts to medical research will eliminate jobs, harm the economy, and stifle advances in the search for cures for diseases.
3. Research is a responsible investment that is peer-reviewed and evaluated.
4. Funding NIDCR at 1.37% of NIH's total funding is beneficial to all Americans.
Ask if you can provide them with the FNIDCR FY2012 Funding Fact Sheet.
Saying "Thank You" for your legislator's interest in advancing and supporting federally-funded oral health research.

The best method to contact your federal legislators is by telephone. Call the Capitol Switchboard, 202.224.3121, and ask to be connected to your member of Congress's office.

Find your members of Congress at: www.house.gov or www.senate.gov.

If you have additional questions, please contact our legislative director Andrew Kaffes at legislative@fnidcr.org.