Opinion: PA’s congressional delegation must stand their ground and fund NIH

Pennsylvania stands at a tipping point when it comes to medical research funding – and the consequences for our health, economy and global leadership could be severe if we don’t act.

Most Pennsylvanians already know why federal investment in research matters. Our scientists develop cures and treatments that save lives, reduce suffering and attract patients from around the world. Their breakthroughs, from cutting-edge cancer therapies to revolutionary gene treatments, fuel new drugs, devices and companies that drive one of the commonwealth’s most powerful industries.

But now, that is all at risk. The National Institutes of Health – the single largest funder of medical research in America – faces mounting political and budget pressures. If federal support falters, Pennsylvania will feel it first and feel it hard.

That’s why the newly formed Pennsylvania Ad Hoc Coalition for NIH Funding, convened by the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, is rallying to protect NIH’s budget. Our coalition already includes more than 11 organizations, such as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, the Wistar Institute and our three organizations. These organizations are all part of the state’s vital eds and meds sector, and include Pennsylvania’s top recipients of NIH grant and contract awards.

Together, we’ve signed a letter to U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean and Guy Reschenthaler, our state’s members on the all-important U.S House Appropriations Committee, urging them to fight to preserve the NIH. We are asking them to carry our message to their committee colleagues, and to encourage the committee members to do the right thing by properly supporting NIH-funded medical research in the budget for fiscal year 2026. And, as the budget progresses to the full House and Senate, we need taxpayers statewide to raise their voices on behalf of this effort.

Pennsylvania isn’t just home to world-class hospitals; it’s a destination for patients seeking treatments they can’t get anywhere else. Families come here from across the U.S. and other countries for the lifesaving care offered here, care powered by research done in our labs. Just one example: gene therapy, pioneered at the University of Pennsylvania, which is already transforming the lives of patients with rare genetic disorders.

The stakes aren’t only medical. NIH funding sustains nearly 100,000 Pennsylvania jobs, from scientists and lab technicians to manufacturing workers, data analysts and support staff. In 2024 alone, NIH awarded more than $2.2 billion to Pennsylvania researchers – that money flows through universities, biotech startups, hospitals and communities in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Hershey, State College and beyond.

At the Hepatitis B Foundation and the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute in Doylestown, federal support fuels our mission to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure hepatitis B – a disease affecting 2.4 million Americans, tens of thousands of whom will develop liver cancer. Our scientists are also developing diagnostics and treatments for other viruses and cancers.

At PABC’s facilities in Doylestown and our B+labs incubator in Philadelphia, companies are advancing new cancer therapies, infectious disease treatments and other life-saving technologies, often thanks to early-stage NIH funding. As an example, one steadily growing company at the PABC is developing broad-spectrum antivirals thanks to multimillion- dollar NIH contracts.

Our three nonprofit organizations now stand alongside Pennsylvania’s research powerhouses to send a clear message to our congressional delegation: Hold the line on NIH funding.

Pennsylvania’s lawmakers have historically been champions for medical research. Now, more than ever, we need them to speak loudly and work tirelessly behind the scenes to protect the federal investments that keep the NIH – and our state – at the forefront of global innovation.

If we don’t act, the cure that could save a life – maybe even your own or a loved one’s – might never make it out of the lab. And the livelihoods of the people doing that research, along with the economic benefits of that work, could be lost. Let’s make sure Pennsylvania remains a leader in lifesaving science and the research ecosystem.