Even though National Institutes of Health spending levels are currently high, the federal government should press ahead with more spending on medical innovation, according to a release by the Council for American Medical Innovation.
The council hosted an event drawing dignitaries like Aneesh Chopra, the nation's chief technology officer, and presenting poll findings showing that the public supports such spending.
Co-chairs of CAMI are Mike Leavitt, a former HHS secretary, and Dick Gephardt, a former U.S. House majority leader.
"In this new era of divided government, it's unusual to see an issue that has the potential to unite Democrats, Republicans and Independents," said pollsters Stan Greenberg and Bill McInturff. "Medical innovation, with the significant benefits it offers to our economy and overall health and well being, represents an opportunity for consensus across party lines."
The pollsters conducted a survey of Americans for the council, finding that:
• 58 percent of respondents favor more federal spending on research.
• 74 percent support incentives and reforms to the tax code, such as an expansion of the research and development tax credit.
• 66 percent believe more medical innovation could lead to lower overall healthcare costs because costly diseases would be cured or prevented.
The NIH, which doles out healthcare research funding, received a $1 billion increase in President Obama's 2011 budget. However, funding for NIH has been erratic over the years, having been in decline up to 2010.
Read the Council for American Medical Innovation release on medical innovation.
View the CAMI video on the impact of medical innovation.
Read more coverage of medical innovation:
- UCSF and Bayer HealthCare Master Agreement to Scientifically Collaboration
- Cleveland Clinic to Help Hospital System Market Medical Inventions
- National Health IT Coordinator Details 2010 Advancements in Health Technology
The council hosted an event drawing dignitaries like Aneesh Chopra, the nation's chief technology officer, and presenting poll findings showing that the public supports such spending.
Co-chairs of CAMI are Mike Leavitt, a former HHS secretary, and Dick Gephardt, a former U.S. House majority leader.
"In this new era of divided government, it's unusual to see an issue that has the potential to unite Democrats, Republicans and Independents," said pollsters Stan Greenberg and Bill McInturff. "Medical innovation, with the significant benefits it offers to our economy and overall health and well being, represents an opportunity for consensus across party lines."
The pollsters conducted a survey of Americans for the council, finding that:
• 58 percent of respondents favor more federal spending on research.
• 74 percent support incentives and reforms to the tax code, such as an expansion of the research and development tax credit.
• 66 percent believe more medical innovation could lead to lower overall healthcare costs because costly diseases would be cured or prevented.
The NIH, which doles out healthcare research funding, received a $1 billion increase in President Obama's 2011 budget. However, funding for NIH has been erratic over the years, having been in decline up to 2010.
Read the Council for American Medical Innovation release on medical innovation.
View the CAMI video on the impact of medical innovation.
Read more coverage of medical innovation:
- UCSF and Bayer HealthCare Master Agreement to Scientifically Collaboration
- Cleveland Clinic to Help Hospital System Market Medical Inventions
- National Health IT Coordinator Details 2010 Advancements in Health Technology