HHS - National Institutes of Health

www.nih.gov

About the National Institutes of Health

Who hasn't heard of the human genome project, or experimental medical treatments?
The National Institutes of Health, an agency under the Department of Health and Human Services, plays a leading role on these initiatives and other cutting-edge medical issues.
With a $28 billion congressional appropriation and more than 18,000 employees, the NIH funds and participates in scientific studies at its headquarters in Bethesda, Md., as well as at universities and research institutions across the nation.

NIH comprises 27 separate institutes, centers or other components specializing in various issues. Among them are the National Cancer Institute, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institute of Mental Health and National Library of Medicine.
The director of NIH is Francis S. Collins, a physician.

Reporters can visit NIH's 300-acre campus in Bethesda, which has more than 60 buildings. Traveling by metro, take the Red Line to the Medical Center stop on the campus.
The agency spends about 10 percent of its funds to support "intramural'' research, which is conducted in Bethesda and several other NIH facilities.

The bulk of funding, about 85 percent, supports "extramural'' research at 2,000 universities, teaching hospitals and independent research institutions across the nation. There are recipients in every state.

NIH Resoures

A wealth of information is available on the NIH Web site, www.nih.gov.

For example, you can pull up a state-by-state breakdown of local institutions that receive NIH support for specific research projects. From the NIH home page, click on "Grants & Funding Opportunities.'' Click on "Grants - OER Home Page.'' Under "Grant Topics,'' click on "Award Data.'' Click on "Award Trends.''  Under "Current Data,'' click on "Geographic Area.'' Click on "Awards by State and Foreign Site.'' Click on year desired and then state.

Communications directors in the various NIH institutes can comment on the research undertaken at local institutions and explain how it fits into the bigger picture.

Patients from all over the world travel to the Clinical Center at the Bethesda campus to participate in clinical trials, including experimental treatment for challenging diseases. The center admits 7,000 inpatients a year. About 72,000 others participate as outpatients.

Forget about accompanying one of these patients during treatment, except under rare circumstances. Federal privacy rules bar journalists from being present with patients, a spokesman said.

However, NIH officials said they are happy to discuss clinical trials or other issues, without reference to specific patients. Media contacts can refer reporters to administrators, scientists or doctors involved in projects.

NIH has two libraries and both are open to the public. The most comprehensive is the National Library of Medicine, source of Medline, the popular online database. NIH has a smaller library in the Clinical Center, Building 10.

One of the most significant events in the agency's 117-year history occurred when Congress fulfilled a commitment to double the agency's funding over a five-year period ending in 2003.

Does this agency's information need updating? programs@nationalpress.org