Town Hall Meeting at NIH

Featuring HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

BY REBECCA G. BAKER, NIAID

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius (right) visited the NIH on August 1 for a tour that included the Children’s Inn and an NCI lab; meetings with NIH leaders; and Town Hall Meeting for NIH staff. At the Town Hall Meeting, hosted by NIH Director Francis Collins (left), Secretary Sebelius recognized the “dazzling” contributions of NIH researchers despite budget cuts and uncertainty. As she answered questions submitted in advance by members of the NIH community, she reaffirmed her commitment to funding medical research and celebrated NIH advancements including studies of “superbug” hospital infections at the NIH Clinical Center and improved cancer treatments resulting from genomic sequencing.

Highlights of some of the questions and answers:

Q. What’s happening with sequestration?

A. Sequestration mandates across-the-board cuts in discretionary federal spending; the NIH budget for FY2013 was cut by $1.5 million (and $15.5 billion suffered by HHS overall) and planned cuts will further reduce the NIH expenditures over the next 10 years. There have been signs, however, that Congressional leaders will resolve the current budget impasse and get rid of sequestration. Everyone agrees that funding science is one of the single best investments we can make.

Q. (From a postbac who is applying to medical school). What is your best advice for the future?

A. With exciting medical breakthroughs under way, there couldn’t be a more exciting time to be in the field.

Q. Given the restrictions on travel to scientific conferences, what’s the Department’s philosophy about the importance of face-to-face interactions and attending conferences?

A. The informal and collegial interactions that take place at conferences is important, but cutting administrative costs such as travel, printing, and overhead, is a way to reduce budgets. The philosophy is not driven by the Department of Health and Human Services but by the Hill.

Q. Is science seen as a priority by the highest levels of the administration?

A. There is support at the highest levels starting with the President. Although it may be “hard to feel the love sometimes,” the President is “totally fascinated” by NIH and eagerly follows reports of its accomplishments. He recognizes that it is critical for NIH to remain the gold standard in biomedical research. “You’ve brought out his inner nerd.”

In her closing remarks Secretary Sebelius complimented the “incredible” and “dazzling” NIH leadership team. Sebelius made it her “personal mission” to bring President Obama back to the NIH to reaffirm the importance of science and the work of the NIH to our country.