Blogs

Throughout the year, SOT is approached by like-minded organizations to lend its support to varying issues and recommendations. This blog contains a summary of recent actions by SOT related to regulations and public policy. 

NIH Funding Recommendation for FY 2026 

On April 7, 2025, SOT joined more than 500 other members of the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research in signing a letter to Congress recommending a budget of $51.303 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for fiscal year (FY) 2026. As stated in the letter, “Patients across the country—from urban centers to rural communities—benefit from medical research supported by the NIH, which serves as the foundation for nearly every preventive intervention, diagnostic, treatment, and cure in practice today.” You can read the complete letter on the SOT website. 

NIAID Funding Recommendation for FY 2026 

A letter recommending $7.29 billion in funding for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was sent on April 7, 2025, to the leaders of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittees. SOT signed this letter alongside more than 50 other organizations. “NIAID plays an essential role in addressing influenza, asthma, cancer, HIV/AIDS, sepsis, deadly allergic reactions, immunodeficiencies, autoimmune disorders, tuberculosis, malaria and other vector-borne diseases, neglected diseases, lupus, and so much more,” states the letter. You can read the complete letter on the SOT website. 

NICHD Funding Recommendation for FY 2026 

More than 30 Friends of the NICHD, including SOT, signed a letter to the leaders of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittees requesting a budget of $1.891 billion in FY 2026 for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The letter delivered on April 21, 2025, also endorsed the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research’s overall NIH budget recommendation. You can read the complete letter on the SOT website. 

US EPA Regulations and Organizational Changes 

More than 25 organizations and businesses and 500 individuals signed letters that were delivered to multiple House and Senate Committees on April 14, 2025, to express concern about announced plans to dismantle 30+ US EPA environmental regulations and eliminate the US EPA Office of Research and Development. According to the letter, “these moves will not only impact public health and wellbeing, but they will subsequently seriously damage the U.S. economy.” You can read the complete letter to the House Committees and the letter to the Senate Committees on the SOT website. 

Remember that you can view recent SOT statements and policy activities on the “SOT Statements” web page. You also can find a historical record of policy activities and SOT documents, such as Annual Business Meeting presentations and Annual Meeting publications, on the “Publications and Historical Documents” web page. 

This blog is being shared under the SOT Vice President’s name as part of their official duties and should not be interpreted as their personal or professional opinions.