NIH funding seems to have an effect on mortality rates.
In an attempt to inform the debate, the PNAS article tracked mortality rates for cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, cancer, and diabetes, along with inflation-adjusted NIH funding. Mortality rates were compared to funding levels at organizations that are specifically tasked with addressing the disease in question, such as the National Cancer Institute. The primary finding was that mortality rates generally decline with increasing funding, but this drop comes at a ten- to fifteen-year lag behind funding cycles.
