ACR Testimony in Support of NIH and ARPA-H Funding

The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) submitted congressional testimony May 3 to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, in support of an increased funding recommendation for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. ACR urged the subcommittee to provide at least $51.3 billion to NIH for FY 2025, as well as $1.5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). ACR continues to advocate that any funding to ARPA-H must be maintained as a separate appropriation outside of the NIH base budget in FY 2025.

ACR pointed to radiology and imaging advancements made possible by federal investments in the agency. There are numerous examples that demonstrate how robust funding in NIH and ARPA-H improved radiology patient care, including:

• ARPA-H establishment of a nationwide health innovation network, ARPANET-H.
• Creation of the ARPA-H Biomedical Data Fabric (BDF) Toolbox.
• Formation of the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST).
• Building the NCI-designated central public repository of medical images and associated clinical data from lung cancer screening patients.

Congress continues to work through biomedical research challenges. ACR at the same time continues to work with partner organizations, joining a letter of 698 organizations asking Congress to increase the FY 2025 allocation for the Labor-HHS-Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee to a level that ensures robust and sustained investments.

For more information, contact Katie Grady, ACR Government Affairs Director.