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Psoriasis Cure Now applauds increase in psoriasis research funding at National Institutes of Health
(February 15, 2007) Psoriasis Cure Now, a nonprofit patient advocacy group, today applauded Congress and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the first significant increase in psoriasis research funding in more than a decade. Over the 10 years ending in fiscal year 2005, NIH research funding for other diseases doubled, even after accounting for inflation, but psoriasis research fell 20%, to a total of $6.6 million. But Psoriasis Cure Now has learned that NIH’s psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis research budget for the recently-ended FY 2006 rose to $8 million, a trivial portion of the multi-trillion dollar federal budget but a significant increase for psoriasis researchers and ultimately, for the as many as 7.5 million Americans with the immune system disease.
“Psoriasis Cure Now was founded 25 months ago to reverse the decade-long stagnation in psoriasis research funding, so we are gratified to see the significant increase in research funding that occurred in the fiscal year that just ended,” said Michael Paranzino, president of Psoriasis Cure Now. “Kudos should go not just to NIH for recognizing the importance of psoriasis research, but to Congress for making it clear to NIH that Congress wanted the psoriasis research funding shortfall addressed. Leaders like Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Ralph Regula and Jim Gerlach, Senator Arlen Specter and Chairman Tom Harkin--these lawmakers stepped up on behalf of psoriasis patients and we are grateful for their interest in improving our lives.”
Even with last year’s increase in funding, psoriasis research at NIH remains more than $30 million short of what would have been invested in psoriasis research had its funding merely kept pace with NIH’s growth over the last decade. In addition, NIH is currently projecting that in the current fiscal year, psoriasis research funding will dip back down, to $7 million.
“We remain concerned that psoriasis research is underfunded, particularly in light of a projected reduction during the current fiscal year,” Paranzino added. “With new research linking psoriasis to increased risk of heart attack, diabetes, depression and obesity, now is not the time to lose the momentum in psoriasis research funding that is long overdue.”
Psoriasis Cure Now is today launching a new letter writing campaign to Congress to thank lawmakers for the increase in psoriasis research funding and to educate lawmakers about the great gains that could come from further investments in this important research. People can write to their lawmakers directly through the Psoriasis Cure Now website.
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