that we must turn to train more men for research and to provide the infor- 

 mation that will enable us to solve the problems of cancer, degenerative 

 disease and the ageing process, neuropsychiatric disorders, peptic ulcer, 

 asthma, and e\'en the common cold. 



Universitv funds that can be used for medical research are decreasing as 

 research costs rise. Income from endowment is steadily shrinking, while 

 endowment itself is no longer being increased bv large new gifts. Medical 

 schools must continue to meet relativelv fixed expenses of teaching and 

 overhead from smaller budgets, with the result that less money is left for 

 research. 



Medical research will continue in the future, regardless of any adverse 

 circumstances. The Go\'ernment, however, has an opportunity to play an 

 important role in supplementing the depleted research budgets of medical 

 schools. Federal aid will increase the volume of medical research; it will 

 strengthen the promise of important discoverv and speed its fulfillment; it 

 will encourage and develop the financiallv weaker schools now at a serious 

 disad\'antage; and it will enable the United States to maintain its position 

 of world leadership in medical research in competition with the nations of 

 Europe where State funds have long been available for scientific research. 

 When a government wiselv invests the people's monev in medical research, 

 the people receive huge dividends in the form of better health and longer 

 lives. 



If Federal funds are to be used to aid medical research, they should be 

 provided in three forms: 



1. Funds should be made available as unrestricted grants, with no portion 

 earmarked for a specific purpose, to supplv technical help and materials; to 

 enable a limited number of voung people to obtain research experience 

 during their regular course in medicine; to build up research in institutions 

 where, for financial reasons, it is not now well-developed; and to cover a 

 multitude oF research requirements within each institution. The admin- 

 istration of these funds should be decentralized to the fullest possible extent, 

 allowing full plav to the wisdom and experience of medical school faculties 

 and administrators. If a central agency were to attempt to underwrite a 

 program of this sort item by item, the costs of administration would be pro- 

 hibitive, and the organization would be too rigid and ponderous to meet the 

 numerous, diverse, and sometimes rapidly varying needs of the institutions. 



2. Funds should be made available to support fellowships in order that 

 young people with aptitude for research mav be selected, trained, and given 

 an opportunity to carry on research. 



3. Funds should be made available to support special projects of consid- 

 erable magnitude and importance bv grants-in-aid. 



The Federal agency should receive its funds by such means as to permit 

 it to fa\'or long term grants, up to 10 years. 



Federal aid should be initiated modestly. Funds exceeding the capacity 

 of the Nation's research institutions to utilize them effectively would do 

 harm bv encouraging mediocre work and by driving away unix'crsitv and 

 foundation support. The responsible agency must remain free from political 

 influence and resistant to special pressures. Its policies must be determined 



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