ARLINGTON, Va. -- Jere E. Goyan, Ph.D., Past-President of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) and former FDA Commissioner, declared AAPS' support for the continual efforts to increase the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget by 16.5 percent for Fiscal Year 2002.
In his testimony on March 14 to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, Dr. Goyan urged Congress to support NIH funding at or above the proposed levels. He said the impact of scientific discoveries derived from NIH sponsored research has broad implications for all who are developing new treatments for diseases, including many pharmaceutical scientists who are AAPS members.
"Continued NIH funding is necessary to continue the leadership and reputation of the United States in the fields of biomedical research and pharmaceutical sciences," said Goyan. "There has been an explosion of biomedical and pharmaceutical knowledge in the last few years, and it is crucial that this knowledge now be used to develop new therapies for those in need."
Goyan explained that pharmaceutical scientists currently advise the NIH in direct collaborations and by participating in many study section review boards.
"Many pharmaceutical scientists have been involved with start-up biotechnology companies," said Goyan. "A few of these entities are enormously successful and have changed the way that some diseases are treated. Others are involved in innovative research that may lead to the next big breakthrough in the treatment of a number of diseases."
Goyan said that, with the proposed reorganization of the NIH review process, AAPS members stand ready to expand their involvement in the evaluation of pharmaceutical science research.
About AAPSAAPS is a professional, scientific society of more than 11,000 members employed in academia, industry, government and other research institutes worldwide. For more information about AAPS, visit AAPS Pharmaceutica at www.aapspharmaceutica.com.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For a transcript of Dr. Goyan's testimony, contact Debbie Werfel at 703-248-4743 or [email protected].
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