1. To establish with Government an ongoing dialogue from which would evolve a sorely needed health/science policy for the United States.
2. To clarify definitions of basic research and applied research from the existing shifting definitions of research.
3. To bring federal support of basic research now underfunded in balance with current increased federal spending in applied research.
4. To suggest to Congress how the support of science can better be adapted to the ways of science.
The following are some of the specific recommendations with regard to the 1979 HEW budget:
a. Provide NIH with an across-the-board 10% increase in funding to compensate for inflationary setbacks.
b. Supplement the budget of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (the basic research institute) by $100 million a year for a five-year period.
c. Return the level of funding of scientist-initiated grants (basic research) to the 1967 level of 61% of the NIH's extramural budget.
d. Insure the stability of the biomedical research support grants system. The level of support for those grants should be restored to the 1967 level of 7% of the NIH's extramural budget.