News Release

Monday, December 11, 2006

A Statement from the NIH Director, Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., Regarding the “ľֱ Reform Act of 2006”

“I commend Congress for its overwhelming bipartisan show of support and confidence in the ľֱ.   The passage of the 2006 NIH reauthorization bill is an affirmation of the importance of NIH and its vital role in advancing biomedical research to improve the health of the Nation.  The legislation preserves the core authorities of NIH, while adding new tools to maximize NIH’s effectiveness. Congress has taken an important step towards modernizing the operation of NIH, in conformance with a new era of science. It brings greater hope for the many people across the Nation and around the world suffering from disease and disability.   It also increases our future potential for pre-empting disease before it strikes and improving people's health.

This support from Congress could not have come at a better moment.  We are at a pivotal point in the history of medical research — now is the time to take full advantage of the tremendous momentum in science to help revolutionize medicine and health in this country.” 

The Office of the Director, the central office at NIH, is responsible for setting policy for NIH, which includes 27 Institutes and Centers. This involves planning, managing, and coordinating the programs and activities of all NIH components. The Office of the Director also includes program offices which are responsible for stimulating specific areas of research throughout NIH. Additional information is available at /institutes-nih/nih-office-director.

About the ľֱ (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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