NIH funding delivers exponential economic returns
Nation & World NIH funding delivers exponential economic returns Credit: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer March 11, 2025 3 min read Report finds all 50 states reap gains in patient health, job creation, research resources, business development A new report from the nonprofit United for Medical Research (UMR) shows that every dollar of research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) delivers $2.56 in economic activity, a multiplier effect that extends the agency’s impact as the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world. In fiscal year 2024, the report found, the agency awarded more than $36.9 billion to researchers, supporting more than 408,000 jobs and generating over $94.5 billion in new economic activity nationwide. The funding supports a broad range of institutions in states across the nation, including academic research centers, private companies, startups, and advocacy organizations. The 2025 update noted NIH-funded research has improved patient health; boosted job creation...