In recent years, research has produced new insights into causes and potential cures for a wide variety of threats to human health. Breakthroughs in biomedical research continue to lead the way in the quest to find diagnostics, treatments and even cures for many of our most devastating diseases. The past year has brought exciting new developments in cell-based therapies that hold great promise for treating Parkinson's disease, heart disease, cancer, burn and spinal cord injuries, and many other debilitating disorders. At the same time, new risks to human health are arising. While remarkable progress has been made in the fight against existing infectious diseases, the emergence of new infectious diseases raises new concerns. Recent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses underscore the need to protect our food supply; and prudence demands that we be proactive in ensuring that the health of our nation is protected against possible bioterrorist acts. FY 2000 budget highlights include:

• A $320 million increase for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to nearly $16 billion. This budget continues the strong support of biomedical research. These funds will be used to support merit-based, peer-reviewed research, largely conducted by individual investigators, building on the tradition that has made the United States the world's leader in biomedical research. In addition to developing an AIDS vaccine, other research areas that will be funded by NIH include diabetes, brain disorders, cancer, genetic medicine, and disease prevention strategies.

• A $25 million increase for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to combat emerging infectious diseases, to nearly $105 million. The additional money would be used to investigate outbreaks of infectious diseases, to upgrade epidemiology and laboratory capacity at state and local health departments, to provide training and education to professionals and the public about the appropriate use of antibiotics, and to address the hepatitis C epidemic and need for pandemic influenza preparedness.

• A $72 million increase in funds for the Food Safety Initiative, to be shared by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and an additional $33 million for Food Safety Inspection Service salaries and related activities, bringing the total increase in food safety funding to $105 million. The President's proposal would significantly expand inspections of both domestic and imported food products, and enable Food and Drug Administration experts to work with food safety officials in foreign countries to ensure consistency in setting high standards for safe food production. The President's budget also includes significant funds for public health research and surveillance to help prevent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses from spreading.

• A substantial increase in chemical and biological terrorism response, to $166 million to strengthen America's defense against the threat of chemical/biological weapons including:

• An additional $43 million in research and development funding for HHS to research new vaccines, including smallpox and anthrax, for eventual use in the national medical stockpile;

• A 23% increase in funding for improvements in the public health surveillance system, including increased lab capacities, strengthened epidemiological capabilities, and providing the CDC with a network of regional labs to provide rapid analysis of select biological agents.
  
  

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