At a recent hearing on the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, questioned NIH Director Jayanta Bhattacharya about proposed funding cuts to Alzheimer's research and a cap on indirect costs.
Senator Collins has been vocal in her opposition to the proposed 15 percent cap on indirect costs, which are typically negotiated between NIH and grant recipients. In April, she chaired a committee hearing focusing on biomedical research's importance. Dr. Hermann Haller from Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory testified about how this cap could affect research in Maine and nationwide.
During the session, Senator Collins expressed concern over the Administration's plan to reduce NIH's budget by more than $19 billion, approximately 40 percent. She highlighted that such cuts could hinder progress in developing treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer.
"There are an estimated 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer's today," Collins noted. "Barring any major breakthrough...this number could almost double...by the year 2060."
Director Bhattacharya responded by affirming his commitment to advancing scientific progress on Alzheimer's disease. He acknowledged significant advancements made possible through NIH support but emphasized the need for further breakthroughs.
"The President wrote a letter...committing the United States to be the leading nation in biomedicine," Bhattacharya stated, underscoring his intention to collaborate with Congress to address health needs across America.
The discussion also touched upon NIH's abrupt announcement of a 15 percent cap on indirect costs without input from the scientific community. Senator Collins criticized this move as harmful and against federal law since Congress had previously included language preventing such caps.
Director Bhattacharya mentioned ongoing litigation prevented him from addressing specifics but expressed willingness to work with Congress: "I'd love to work with Congress… I think there's lots of great possibilities for reform."
