AABB Urges Congress to Prioritize NIH Funding

March 19, 2025

AABB called on Congress to ensure robust funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations bill. In a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, AABB emphasized the vital role of federal funding in advancing research to improve the safety and availability of blood products and biotherapies. The letter also requested the continuation of Section 224 from the FY 2024 Appropriations Act, which safeguards NIH facilities and administrative (F&A) cost reimbursements.

AABB highlighted several NIH-funded breakthroughs, such as methods to reduce pathogens in blood products and advances in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies for hematologic malignancies. The letter also underscored the economic impact of NIH funding, noting that every dollar invested in 2023 generated $2.46 in economic activity.

Additionally, AABB joined a coalition of organizations in signing a letter urging Congress to maintain robust NIH appropriations for FY 2025 and FY 2026. The letter advocated for continued support of F&A reimbursements, which are critical for cell and gene therapy research infrastructure. The coalition stressed that cuts to NIH funding or caps on F&A reimbursements would hinder scientific progress and harm patients, underscoring the need for sustained investment in NIH research to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes.