By MARTIN LAWLER
Santa Fe
Modern medicine saved my life, what about yours? From polio to COVID vaccines to surgery at a famous medical center to our local New Mexico hospital, I owe my life to medical researchers and doctors.
Europe used to be the genesis of modern medicine: Louis Pasteur invented pasteurization and vaccines, Marie Curie discovered x-rays. Then American scientist took over. Under the leadership of President Roosevelt, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation were created. Our government has funded important cancer, heart, and HIV research. In the past decade or so, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved over 350 new medicines and medical devices.
One is the continuous blood monitor in my arm that allows me to check blood glucose levels and adjust my food, medicine and insulin, like regulating the speed of an automobile with the accelerator or break.
The dreaded Alzheimer brain disease (RIP Gene Hackman), cancer and heart disease afflicts many in New Mexico. Our federal government provides over $48 billion for fundamental medical research grants annually to universities, government agencies, and private laboratories. Some people prefer to ignore these diseases, while others read about clinical trials of medicines that may cure their or their families’ diseases. But now a fringe minority of science deniers is influencing medical and other research, which will impact us all.
The new administration is firing research scientist and doctors and killing funding for fundamental research for cures for common deadly diseases. It proposes to slash the NIH budget and staff by two thirds. The Health and Human Services budget for grants to states has been cut by $12 billion for tracking disease and other health matters. Ending these programs seems to be a trial balloon before cuts to health care programs such as Medicaid, the Veterans Administration and even Social Security, which Elon Musk calls a “Ponzi” scheme.
Cutting the FDA’s funding will delay approval and increase the costs of new drugs and medical devices, which already can take years. Federal funds for research for breast, pancreatic and lung cancer cannot be replaced. Government support for medical and scientific research, as well as drug development has been so successful many people take it for granted. And this has given the science deniers a foothold in the media.
Many of our neighbors work on cutting edge science at our nearby labs. I take my hat off to them while certain media and politicians vilify scientists and government workers. As a small businessman, I understand cost control. We all want efficient government, but we need to maintain, if not expand needed medical services for veterans and make progress on a cures for Alzheimer and other diseases.
Many veterinary researchers and epidemiologists (who study patterns of diseases) are recommending programs for dealing with a possible bird flu (also called H5N1) pandemic. Secretary of HHS, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is touting a wild idea to allow the virus run free in some flocks. Veterinarians say this is a recipe for disaster, as it would allow for possible mutations for the virus to spread easily among people.
Kennedy just forced the FDA’s top authority on vaccine safety to quit. The doctor said Kennedy is spreading “misinformation and lies” about vaccines. If medical experts are fired and research is defunded, who will protect us against drug resistant tuberculous, antibiotic resistant sepsis or the next pandemic pathogen?
Government medical research may once again, save my and your life. Or without adequate expert scientists and funding, maybe not.