National Institutes of Health and Health Services National Institutes of Health and Health Services Introduction to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), established in 1887 as the one-room Laboratory of Hygiene, has grown to become one of the world’s leading biomedical research centers. While its roots date back over a century, the NIH as we know it today began to take shape in the years following World War II, when a growing awareness of public health needs intersected with new scientific capabilities and increased national investment in health-related science.
The NIH serves as the federal focal point for health research and is one of eight health agencies under the Public Health Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH is comprised of 24 separate institutes, centers, and divisions, each dedicated to a specific area of health research. Located on a 300-acre campus in Bethesda, Maryland, the NIH has grown from an initial budget of around $300 in 1887 to nearly $28 billion in 2005. Since its inception, the NIH has had 14 directors, starting with Joseph James Kinyoun, the founder of the Laboratory of Hygiene, with Elias Z. Zernouni serving as the current director.
NIH Institutes, Centers, and Divisions
The NIH is made up of multiple institutes, centers, and divisions, each focusing on a different area of health research:
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- National Eye Institute (NEI)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
- National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
- National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
- National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
- National Library of Medicine (NLM)
- National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
- John E. Fogarty International Center (FIC)
- Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)
- Division of Computer Research and Technology (DCRT)
- Division of Research Grants (DRG)
Each of these organizations has its own mission and activities, which are designed to support research in their respective areas. More information about each can be found on the NIH website.
The NIH Mission, Goals, and Research Support
The NIH serves as the steward of biomedical and behavioral research in the United States. Its mission is to pursue fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability.
To achieve its mission, the NIH conducts both clinical and basic research in its laboratories, supports research at institutions across the country and internationally, assists in the training of research investigators, and fosters the dissemination of health information to improve public health.
The goals of the NIH are:
- To foster fundamental creative discoveries, innovative research strategies, and their applications – This goal aims to significantly enhance the nation’s ability to protect and improve health by promoting scientific discovery and innovation.
- To develop, maintain, and renew scientific human and physical resources – The NIH aims to ensure that the U.S. has the necessary capacity to prevent disease by cultivating the necessary human and physical resources.
- To expand the knowledge base in biomedical and associated sciences – This expansion is intended to enhance the nation’s economic well-being and ensure a high return on public investment in research.
- To exemplify and promote the highest level of scientific integrity, public accountability, and social responsibility in science – The NIH is committed to conducting science with the utmost integrity and responsibility.
To achieve these goals, the NIH provides leadership and direction to programs aimed at improving the nation’s health. This includes research into the causes, diagnosis, prevention, and cure of human diseases; the processes of human growth and development; the biological effects of environmental contaminants; and the understanding of mental, addictive, and physical disorders. The NIH also directs programs for the collection, dissemination, and exchange of information in medicine, nursing, and health, including the development and support of medical libraries and the training of health information specialists.
NIH Impact on the Health of the Nation
NIH research has played a crucial role in many significant health advancements in recent decades:
- Reduction in Heart Disease Mortality: Mortality from heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., dropped by 41% between 1971 and 1991.
- Decrease in Stroke Death Rates: Death rates from strokes decreased by 59% during the same period.
- Improved Cancer Survival Rates: Advances in detection and treatment increased the relative 5-year survival rate for cancer patients to 52%, representing over 80,000 additional cancer survivors annually compared to the 1960s.
- Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries: Rapid treatment of spinal cord injuries with high doses of steroids significantly reduces paralysis. Treatment within the first 8 hours after injury improves recovery in severely injured patients.
- Stroke Prevention: Long-term treatment with anti-clotting medications reduces stroke risk by 80% in patients with atrial fibrillation.
- Advances in Schizophrenia Treatment: New medications have reduced symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations in 80% of patients with schizophrenia, where suicide is a significant risk.
- Improved Survival for Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Advances in treating infants with respiratory distress syndrome have increased survival rates by preventing lung collapse.
- Advances in Depression Treatment: Modern treatments have enabled 80% of people suffering from depression to return to work and normal life activities within weeks.
- Vaccines Against Infectious Diseases: Vaccination programs have dramatically reduced the incidence of infectious diseases that once killed millions.
- Dental Health Improvements: Dental sealants have been 100% effective in preventing cavities on the chewing surfaces of children’s molars and premolars.
- Revolution in Molecular Genetics and Genomics: Research in molecular genetics and genomics has transformed biomedical science, leading to the first human gene therapy trials and the identification of many genes in the human genome. Scientists predict that this knowledge will lead to genetic tests for diseases such as cancer and eventually to preventive treatments for those at risk.
Conclusion
The NIH continues to be at the forefront of biomedical research, advancing knowledge that has a profound impact on public health. Its comprehensive mission to understand living systems and apply that understanding to reduce disease burden and extend healthy life demonstrates its vital role in enhancing the health and well-being of the nation. Through its diverse institutes and centers, the NIH supports research that addresses various health challenges, fostering innovation and ensuring a high return on public investment in scientific research. The ongoing contributions of the NIH underscore its significance as a key player in global health advancements.