On April 3, 2026, the President released his annual budget request to Congress, which proposes a $5 billion reduction in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Join us to urge Congress to increase critical research funding now.
In response to the budget request, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, in partnership with The American Parkinson Disease Association and The Parkinson’s Foundation, released the following statement:
As Congress reviews the President’s federal budget proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, the three leading national Parkinson’s advocacy organizations — on behalf of the 1.2 million Americans living with Parkinson’s and related conditions — urge lawmakers to increase investment in the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH is the primary driver of biomedical research progress, for the benefit of the health of Americans. This budget request, which includes a $5 billion reduction in funding for the NIH, would slow scientific breakthroughs that are needed now for millions of Americans living with disease.
The American Parkinson Disease Association, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and The Parkinson’s Foundation collectively ask Congress to take action to increase federal funding for Parkinson’s research to $600 million annually at the NIH. This level of funding represents less than 1% of the annual economic burden of Parkinson’s, including spending by patients, families and the federal government, which totals $82.2 billion according to a recent report commissioned and supported by our organizations. Congress’s bipartisan support for a strong NIH budget in FY 2026 reflected a shared commitment to scientific discovery, and it is critical that this momentum continue without delay. Additionally, a recent national survey shows that three in four voters favor doubling federal investment in Parkinson’s research.
Decades of NIH-supported research have led to the development of new treatments for Parkinson’s disease and brought scientists closer than ever to meaningful breakthroughs in pursuit of a cure. Federal investment has also accelerated discoveries that reveal important connections across neurodegenerative diseases, opening new pathways for coordinated scientific advances with the potential to benefit millions. This is a pivotal moment to build on that progress.
Last month, in Washington, D.C., our organizations convened more than 300 Parkinson’s advocates from 49 states to share their experiences and call on their Members of Congress to increase federal investment in Parkinson’s research at NIH. Their stories are a powerful reminder of the urgency of research funding to accelerate better treatments and cures for disease, and together, we stand ready to support efforts to strengthen NIH through the appropriations process. With this courageous nationwide community, millions strong, we call on Congress to ensure that a robust NIH remains central to the nation’s investment in health and science — today and in the years ahead.