HOUSE CONTINUING RESOLUTION GUARANTEES INCREASES IN FDA, NIH FUNDING
Both the FDA and the NIH will get increases in funding under a joint continuing resolution (CR), which the House agreed to last week.
The House passed the $463.5 billion resolution Jan. 31 by a vote of 286-140. The resolution, which will fund federal programs until Sept. 30, includes funding increases over fiscal 2006 levels for both the FDA and the NIH. The FDA will be funded at approximately $1.56 billion, an increase of $90 million over fiscal 2006. The NIH will receive $28.9 billion, an increase of $619.5 million over fiscal 2006. The Senate will consider the measure this week, but appropriators have agreed to pass the resolution without any amendments to the House figures, sources said.
The FDA funding is meant to help the agency accelerate its review of generic drug applications and ensure that the FDA does not have to cut staff, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said. The generic drug office will receive an additional $5 million over fiscal 2006 levels, and the agency will receive enough money to ensure it does not have to downsize its staff by 650, which DeLauro alleged could potentially occur.
"During the past several years, the American people have witnessed a breakdown of our food safety system and have lost confidence in our drug approval process," DeLauro, the chairwoman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the FDA's budget, said. "The increased funding levels for food safety and drug safety programs in this bill represent an incremental step forward and I look forward to building on this effort and restoring consumer confidence in these areas."