NIH Linked to Over Half of 21st Century Drug Approvals, Study Finds
A new study reveals the significant impact of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on drug approvals. Over half of the drugs approved in the 21st century are linked to research that might not have been funded with a 40% smaller NIH budget.
Between 2010 and 2019, the NIH funded research leading to 99% of FDA-approved drugs. This includes 65 drugs with patents that had 'highly linked' research, meaning more than 25% of citations referenced NIH-funded research. A proposed 40% cut to the NIH budget could have resulted in significantly fewer medical innovations.
The study found that 59% of approved drugs contained a patent that cited at least one research publication with NIH support. This includes 14 drugs approved between 2000 and 2023 that directly relied on NIH grants unlikely to be funded under a much smaller budget. These 'at-risk' drugs were more likely to receive priority review from the FDA and had a higher average market value. The researchers involved in their development include scientists from the preCDD network and the TACTIC consortium, with contributions from multiple university locations in Germany.
The impact of budget cuts on NIH-funded research may extend beyond drug approvals, affecting the entire research pipeline. The NIH's role in medical innovation is undeniable, and a significant reduction in its budget could have severe consequences for future healthcare advancements.
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