NCLifeSci supports university research, opposes NIH guidance cutting funds
The North Carolina Life Sciences Organization strongly values the role university research plays in driving the creation of new life sciences companies, groundbreaking medicines and transformative treatments. We recognize that North Carolina's vibrant life sciences ecosystem is built upon a foundation of cutting-edge research conducted at our renowned public and private universities. These institutions serve as hubs of innovation, fostering the development of discoveries that ultimately improve human health and well-being.
NCLifeSci unequivocally supports the critical role of the National Institutes of Health in funding this essential research. NIH invests nearly $2 billion a year across North Carolina, providing crucial resources to explore promising new avenues in disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This funding not only fuels scientific breakthroughs but also supports the training of the next generation of scientists, entrepreneurs, and life sciences professionals, ensuring a robust talent pipeline for our industry.
North Carolina’s more than 840 life sciences companies directly employ more than 100,000 people, an employment base that has grown 23% since 2019 compared to 9% for the state overall, according to a 2024 report from TEConomy Partners. The industry pumps more than $82 billion into the state’s economy annually, the report says.
Maintaining North Carolina’s leadership in the life sciences and our nation’s global competitiveness requires sustained investment in research. Other nations, China in particular, are aggressively investing in biomedical research and development, posing a direct challenge to U.S. dominance in this vital sector. Any reduction in NIH funding would severely hamper our ability to compete, jeopardizing the development of new therapies, undermining the foundation of our thriving life sciences sector and ceding ground to our global competitors. Slashing NIH budgets will stifle innovation, weaken our economy and ultimately put American patients at a disadvantage.
NCLifeSci urges policymakers to recognize the profound importance of supporting university research and the indispensable role of NIH funding in driving progress in the life sciences. We call upon our elected officials to prioritize robust and sustained investment in and from the NIH, ensuring that North Carolina and the United States remain at the forefront of biomedical innovation. Investing in research is not just an investment in the health of our citizens, it's an investment in the strength of our economy, the future of our state and our nation’s ability to compete on the global stage.