Dr. Kirschstein. The budgets recommended by peer review groups have increased yearly by almost 20 percent. The FY 1992 budget request, however, permits an average increase of only about 7 percent. The result will be that highly rated projects will either have subproject components deleted, or the pace of research slowed, or both.

In addition, other promising research projects will not be funded.

PRIORITY USES OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS

Mr. Early. What priorities would the Institute pursue if addi-tional resources were available? If an increase over the FY 92 request is provided, how would you use these additional funds?

Dr. Kirschstein. The Institute would use additional funds in three priority areas. We would support additional competing research project grants so that our success rate would move toward the historical levels of 35-40 percent. We would also increase funding for the NIGMS programs designed to increase the number of underrepresented minorities pursuing biomedical research. Thus, we would expand the recently announced initiatives in the Minority Access to Research Careers Program as well as undertake some additional ef. forts in the Minority Biomedical Research Support Program. A third area to which we would direct additional funds is research training. We would expand both the Medical Scientist Training Program and the Biotechnology Research Training Program, two programs which address special needs in the research community.

SENIOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH SERVICE

Mr. Early. How many senior biomedical research service slots have been allocated to the NIGMS and how many of those slots have been filled to date?

Dr. Kirschstein. A policy decision was made at the PHS level that use of the Senior Biomedical Research Service (SBRS) recruitment and retention mechanism would be restricted primarily to the PHS intramural community, or for extramural scientists engaged in clinical research evaluation. By virtue of this definition, most extramural scientists are not eligible for inclusion. Although NIGMS has a small and unique intramural research program known as the Pharmacology Research Associate Training (PRAT) Program, the scientists recruited as PRAT fellows are young, junior staff members selected for a two-year period of postdoctoral work in pharmacological research. Their relatively junior status in career devel. opment does not qualify them for inclusion in the SBRS.

Mr. Early. Briefly describe how implementation of the Senior Biomedical Research Service Program has facilitated NIH's recruitment and/or retention of intramural scientists?

Dr. Kirschstein. As mentioned above, the NIGMS will not have access to the SBRS as a recruitment or retention program; thus, it will not benefit directly from its creation.

191

Budget authority by object...
Significant items in the House and Senate Appropriations

committee reports.

193

181

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

National Institute of General Medical Sciences

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the Public Health Service Act vith respect to general medical sciences. [179,250,000 $833.180.000: 11 Provided, That of the funds made available under this heading, $48,104,000

shall not become available for obligation until September 19, 1992.

(Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1991.)

11 Language has been added to ensure that government-wide outlay limits for

domestic discretionary programs established in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508) are not exceeded.