While the debate about President Donald Trump’s Cutbacks on facilities and administrative costs related to federally funded research grants rage, one expert in the field of medicine says that he sees a clear way ahead.
Dr. David Skorton, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, has had a broad career that the government is spreading, higher education And medicines. He now runs a national association that supervises all schools for doctor and schools in the country, and around 500 academic health systems that teach hospitals. Skorton told Fox News Digital that although he does not agree with Trump’s general cuts, the current status quo must change. He mentioned over regulation as a reason why facilities and administrative costs have become so ‘wild expensive’.
He also said that transparency of research institutions could help to create a better consciousness of how taxpayer dollars are used to support those settings that have become the curse of critics who say they are taxpayer dollars for their own benefit.
Dr. David Skorton, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, who represents all MD-granted medical schools in the country, and around 500 academic health systems that teach hospitals. (Fox News)
“In some cases, more than one agency will develop regulations, and the researchers must meet all those different rules Regulatory burden, “ Said Skorton. He added that researchers in turn can spend more time doing what they do best, research, which will mean larger results for the public in the long term.
“It would also mean that the costs would fall because the extra staff, the extra things that are needed to keep track of things for these regulations, that would also fall,” Skorton noted.
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Skorton said that the impact of reducing over -regulation will be double: it will improve the current research environment And show that there is room for cooperation to lower overhead costs, without threatening new research. In particular, he pointed to research in which people or animals are involved, of which Skorton said it is often full of legal requirements that, although importantly, can be streamlined.
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Skorton added that the AAMC was “very hungry” to work with the administration to improve this framework and noted that “we are not here to claim that the status quo is perfect, and we want to defend it, But the idea of ​​beating the facilities and administrative costs to what felt like a random number for many of us, 15%, will lead to research being reduced. “
The AAMC president said there is also a responsibility for research institutions to better inform people about where their taxpayers dollars go when they are used by federally funded research programs.
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“For every dollar we get at universities, medical schools, Et cetera, for research by the nih or another scientific agency, is still half a dollar, roughly, contributed by the institution for each dollar, “Skorton has pointed out.” That is something that people may not realize, and why should they be clearer to make that visible, we already contribute a lot to the research. “
In the tax year 2023, the NIH spent around $ 35 billion on around 50,000 subsidies that went to research institutions, such as universities and hospitals. Of that $ 35 billion, according to the Trump administration, $ 9 billion was allocated for “indirect costs” that cover costs with regard to depreciation on buildings, equipment, capital improvements, interest on debts associated with certain buildings and activities and maintenance costs. (Istock)
Fox News Digital spoke with Medical experts who have supported Trump’s blanket According to administrative and facility costs, and they claim that reducing this price burden for the federal government will increase the availability of new research fairs, while the financial bloat rejects where universities can benefit from the costs of taxpayers.
One of the doctors who shared their thoughts, Dr. Erika Schwartz, repeated calls to reform the current structure, similar to Skorton.
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“Although infrastructure support is needed, there is room for more efficient cost management. A reformed financing model can reduce more resources to steer research activities while retaining essential support services,” Schwartz said. “This may increase the number of financed research projects And accelerate medical breakthroughs, which ultimately benefit more immediately. “
