[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15406-15407]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HEALTH OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. DEBORAH PRYCE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 30, 1999

  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my voice to those 
who seek to raise awareness about the importance of biomedical research 
to call attention to the invaluable benefits of biomedical research and 
to the necessity of making a sustained, significant commitment to 
research efforts at NIH, our nation's premier research institution. I 
encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting a doubling of 
the National Institute of Health's budget, including the budget of the 
National Cancer Institute, over five years.
  The Federal investment in cancer research makes sense and saves 
dollars by unlocking the answers to how cancer is best detected, 
treated, and prevented. These answers will reduce health care costs and 
save lives. The costs, both human and economic, of cancer in this 
country are catastrophic. The human costs in terms of lives lost are 
immeasurable, and the economic costs exceed $107 billion annually. Our 
national investment in biomedical research is the key to containing 
spiraling health care costs, as every $1 invested in research saves $13 
in health care costs. Yet, the amount we invest in cancer research 
today is equal to only 2 percent of the health care costs attributable 
to cancer. And while cancer is a greater threat than ever, only 31 
percent of approved cancer research projects receive funding. Our goal 
should be to quicken the pace of research by funding at least 45 
percent of research initiatives. A much more aggressive effort is 
required to combat cancer and to reduce human suffering and lives lost 
to the many forms of this devastating disease.
  According to a 1994 NIH report, approximately $4.3 billion is 
invested in clinical and

[[Page 15407]]

translation research, which means $9.3 to $13.6 billion is shaved off 
annual health care costs. As a result of a research investment of $56 
million over 17 years, $166 million is saved annually in the care of 
testicular cancer, a 91 percent cure rate has been achieved, and life 
expectancy has increased by 40 more years. And, a research investment 
of $11 million in the management of breast cancer has saved $170 
million annually in breast cancer treatment.
  More cancer research could prevent cancer, save more lives, and 
benefit the economy, as well. Eighty-five percent of the National 
Cancer Institute's (NCI) budget creates jobs and funds researchers 
across the country. And NCI research provides the foundation for 
innovative new cancer drug development--316 new medicines were in 
development last year. Since 1993, the number of cancer drugs in 
development has increased 155 percent.
  More biomedical research at NIH overall is critically important. 
Indeed, the sharing of medical innovations across scientific and 
medical disciplines benefits all research. For example, AIDS research 
has advanced cancer research and research on maternal health has been 
applied to arthritis research.
  Research pays for itself many times over by creating American jobs, 
supporting U.S. businesses, and strengthening the U.S. economy. 
Notably, NIH-funded research generates $17.9 billion in employee income 
and over 726,000 jobs in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical 
fields. Overall, NIH-funded research contributes $100 billion annually 
to the American economy.
  Doubling the budget of the NIH and the NCI will enable extraordinary 
opportunities for research success and real progress in cancer 
prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship. To make a real 
difference in the lives of the 1 in 2 American men and 1 in 3 American 
women who will develop cancer over his or her lifetime, we must 
dramatically increase our Federal investment in cancer research.

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