
Final FY18 Appropriations: National Institutes of Health
Following a sizeable $2 billion spending boost it received in last year’s appropriations, the National Institutes of Health is receiving an even larger $3 billion, or 9 percent, increase this year. This is the largest increase
The rapid growth of the NIH budget in recent years reflects the strong, bipartisan support the agency has on Capitol Hill, as well as the supplementary support the agency now receives through the 21st Century Cures Act — major authorization and funding legislation for NIH enacted
The appropriation is a stark rejection of President Trump’s proposal to cut
The law provides at least 5 percent funding increases for each of NIH’s 27 institutes and centers. The following chart includes figures for five of the institutes that are especially relevant to the physical sciences.

A joint House-Senate explanatory statement containing detailed funding and policy direction for NIH is available here
Indirect cost cap proposal rejected
As a part of its fiscal year 2018 budget request, the Trump administration proposed capping the reimbursements that NIH provides to research institutions to compensate for facilities, administrative, and other overhead costs of conducting research, at 10 percent of total grant cost, a level significantly below the current average rate. University leaders warned
Congress pushed back
Strongly worded language from the House and Senate reports also makes clear Congress’ displeasure. The House report reads,
While the Committee appreciates the Secretary’s efforts to find efficiencies in NIH research spending, the Administration’s proposal to drastically reduce and cap reimbursement of facilities and administrative (F&A) costs to research institutions is misguided and would have a devastating impact on biomedical research across the country. To ensure that NIH can continue supporting both direct and F&A costs as is their current practice, the bill includes a new general provision directing NIH to continue reimbursing institutions for F&A costs according to the rules and procedures described in 45 CFR 75 (with the exception of existing waivers for training grants).
The methodology for negotiating indirect costs has been in place since 1965, and rates have remained largely stable across NIH grantees for decades. The Administration’s proposal would radically change the nature of the Federal Government’s relationship with the research community, abandoning the Government’s long-established responsibility for underwriting much of the Nation’s research infrastructure, and jeopardizing biomedical research nationwide. The Committee has not seen any details of the proposal that might explain how it could be accomplished without throwing research programs across the country into disarray.
Research grant proposals, first-time investigators supported
The statement calls for the appropriation to “support an increase in the number of new and competing Research Project Grants.” It also directs NIH to keep focusing on young and first-time investigators and take “actions to significantly reduce the average age of an NIH-supported new investigator.”
NIH’s research grant proposal success rate fell from 32 percent in 2001 to just under 17 percent in 2013, although it has more recently ticked back up to 20 percent in 2016. The NIH rate is now on par
Both the House and Senate reports emphasize the importance of basic research in NIH’s portfolio, with the Senate report expressing concern over “the recent decrease in the proportion of basic research” and the House report encouraging NIH to not let funding for basic research fall below 55 percent of the total NIH budget.
The House report also calls on NIH “to restore extramural support to at least 90 percent of all NIH funding.”
21st Century Cures initiatives, cancer research boosted
Cancer research boost includes Moonshot funds. The legislation directs $5.66 billion to cancer research through the National Cancer Institute and adds an additional $300 million through funding provided by the 21st Century Cures Act for the Cancer Moonshot Initiative. All together, this adds up to a 5 percent year-over-year increase for the NCI.
New center for heavy ion cancer therapy research proposed. The statement specifically calls out a promising new cancer therapy based on heavy ion irradiation technology
Other 21st Century Cures initiatives also boosted. The statement also calls for:
- A $60 million increase for the “All of Us” Precision Medicine Initiative;
- An $140 million increase for the BRAIN Initiative; and
- An $8 million increase for regenerative medicine.
Additional congressional priorities
Collaboration with DOE and national labs urged. Both the House and Senate reports call on NIH to engage collaboratively with the Department of Energy, including the national laboratories and other potential partners, to utilize their broader scientific and technological capabilities for biomedical research. The Senate adds that, “In particular, DOE and NIH should work together to support access for biomedical researchers to cutting-edge technology resources.”
Harnessing big data seen as a major strategic challenge. Figuring out how to make effective use of the agency’s growing stores of digital scientific data to enable breakthroughs is “one of the biggest obstacles facing NIH,” according to the Senate report. It directs NIH to work with external partners and stakeholders to create a detailed strategic plan “spelling out it how intends to make big data sustainable, interoperable, accessible, and usable.”
NIH-wide imaging research review requested. The Senate report also calls on NIH to “produce an overview” of imaging research across the agency that assesses the quality of research interactions.