"It would be devastating." That's how Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, described billions of dollars in cuts to medical research programs that are scheduled to take effect in January.
It's not just research that is threatened. These cuts will also affect the Food and Drug Administration, the agency that is responsible for the review and approval of new medicines. That could slow the review process for promising new CF drugs.
The good news is that Congress can still prevent these cuts, but they need hear from you.
The clock is ticking: there are only a few more opportunities for Congress to act before the cuts take effect. Tell Washington to protect these important programs and focus on reducing our nation's deficit without jeopardizing our efforts to add tomorrows.
Thank you for all that you do! Together, we are making a difference in the lives of people with CF.
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Federal Budget Cuts: Frequently Asked Questions
I have heard that the government is planning to make big cuts to the federal
budget. Is this true?
Yes. These funding cuts to nearly all federal programs, departments, and agencies
are scheduled to take effect on January 2, 2013. The process is known in
Washington, DC as “sequestration,” or the “sequester.” Sequestration is a way to
lessen our budget deficit and national debt.
What will be affected?
Budgets for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) will be cut, impacting CF research and drug development. It
will also affect the military, food safety, education programs, and other
departments and agencies.
How will these funding cuts affect people with cystic fibrosis?
Funding for the NIH and FDA are very important to efforts to find a cure for cystic
fibrosis. The success of Kalydeco™ depended on NIH’s research into genetics and
finding inventive ways to discover potential new medications.
Making sure the FDA has enough funding will help the agency quickly evaluate
new drugs for safety and effectiveness. Kalydeco was approved by the FDA in
only three months, one of the fastest approvals in the FDA’s history. Cutting
funding could hurt the agency’s ability to swiftly move new treatments to those
who need them.
Can Congress stop these funding cuts?
Yes. Congress can cancel these budget cuts or find other ways to reduce our
national deficit that do not harm critical agencies like the NIH and FDA.
Click here to tell Congress not to cut critical research and drug development.
Please take a moment to click on this link that will send a message to congress urging them to protect this funding - http://bit.ly/OteEc2
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