Presidential Budget Request Jeopardizes NIH Funding for Parkinson’s Research
President Trump’s FY 2027 (October 1, 2026-September 30, 2027) budget request, released on April 3, includes a 20% cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The proposed cuts jeopardize efforts to increase NIH funding for Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA), in unison with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Parkinson’s Foundation, is urging lawmakers to reject cuts to the NIH and to prioritize robust, sustained investments in PD research.
You can read the press release here.
Your voice is critical to stemming these cuts and securing a greater federal commitment to Parkinson’s disease research. Act now! Please contact your members of congress and ask that they ensure a strong NIH remains central to the nation’s investment in health and science — today and in the years ahead. Tuesday, April 7, is a National Day of Action and the perfect time to raise your voice and push for PD progress.
The Federal Appropriations Process and What this Means
Despite striking a significant blow to biomedical research in the United States, the FY 2027 request is a reduction from the 40% cut that President Trump sought in the FY 2026 Budget (October 1, 2025-September 30, 2026). Every year, the President submits a budget request to Congress which reflects his priorities. The release of the President’s budget triggers Congressional budget hearings that frequently result in an overall budget that is significantly different than the President’s proposal.
The FY 2026 budget is a good example of this, in that the President requested a 40% cut to the NIH budget but ultimately those cuts were reversed. In the final FY 2026 budget, NIH funding grew by $415 million to $48.7 billion, a 3% increase from $47.2 billion in FY 2025. While modest, this increase reflects the bi-partisan support that medical research funding has among Members of Congress. Many not only expressed concerns about protecting the country’s cutting-edge research at premiere medical research institutions but also worried about the thousands of jobs that would likely be lost because of the proposed cuts.
Modest NIH Budget Increases are Unsustainable
Similar concerns are already being raised in the halls of Congress in response to the President’s FY 2027 budget request. Despite expectations that Congress will push back on the proposed cuts, another modest increase is also not sustainable. The Biomedical Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI) measures changes in the weighted average prices of all inputs (e.g., personnel service, various supplies, and equipment) purchased with the NIH budget to support research. It was developed for the NIH and is updated annually by the Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
Projected BRDPI for 2026 was 2.7%, just under the 3% increase in the final FY 2026 budget appropriation. A budgetary increase based on BRDPI alone reflects how much the NIH budget must change to maintain purchasing power, but it does not reflect what NIH needs to grow and evolve as the nation’s premiere medical research agency.
What Does This Mean for Parkinson’s Disease Research?
NIH is the primary driver of biomedical progress and cutting vital research funding may lead to delays in scientific advancements that could help treat the 1.2 million people in the U.S. living with Parkinson’s and related conditions
Despite the growing prevalence of Parkinson’s disease, NIH investment in research has been stagnant and far below what’s needed for prevention, better treatments, earlier diagnosis and ultimately, cures. With an aging population and no way to stop disease progression, the urgency is clear, Congress must invest in NIH research funding that will lead to scientific breakthroughs for Parkinson’s disease.
APDA is advocating for $600 million in annual NIH funding for Parkinson’s disease research. Greater NIH investment will accelerate transformational discoveries for millions of Americans affected by Parkinson’s and related diseases. You can join our campaign by acting now!
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