The benefits of medical research and the role of the NIH.

According to Senator Mack's report, the economic costs of illness in the U.S. were approximately $3 trillion annually, representing 31% of the nation’s GDP. This included “direct” costs of public and private health care spending of $1.3 trillion, and “indirect” illness costs from reduced ability to work and premature death of $1.7 trillion. Available from faseb.org at this link.