The State of the Union Address

Did you happen to hear President Bush's State of the Union address? The President focused on a number of very important initiatives that deserve the nation's support. Unfortunately, biomedical research was basically ignored (as usual).

Among the various challenges the President discussed, few can compare to the millions of people who are killed and disabled every year by heart disease, stroke, cancer, etc. Why is so little federal attention devoted to the biggest causes of death, disability and misery? Why is President Bush not directing more taxpayer dollars to research that benefits the most taxpayers?

The federal government is the top funder of biomedical research. Many of today's groundbreaking medical treatments would not have been possible without federal research grants made decades ago. However, three quarters of a million people still die every year from cardiovascular disease alone. Much more can and should be done. With so many lives at stake, this issue touches virtually every family in the country. Does it not deserve 30 seconds in the State of the Union?