Influence Alley

The health coalition United for Medical Research is launching a campaign to fight for funding for the National Institutes of Health.

The group, whose members include research institutions, health advocates and private companies, will put out a series of ads in beltway publications this week to shed light on the effect of a potential 8.2 percent cut to NIH funding. UMR members began visiting lawmakers' offices last month to make their case, and they will continue to do so in conjunction with this week's campaign, a UMR spokesperson told the Alley.

The ads don't mince words. "America at risk" flashes across one online ad, along with "job losses" and "medical innovation jeopardized." Sequestration in the health research industry, the group warns, could mean layoffs and delays in medical advancements. Significant cuts could also compromise the country's medical innovation for years to come. According to a UMR report released earlier this year, sequestration would eliminate 33,000 jobs across the United States, leading to a corresponding $4.5 billion decrease in economic activity.

One of UMR's member organizations, Research!America, launched a similarly themed campaign before Thanksgiving. The partner coalition brought scientists from an array of health care organizations to visit lawmakers' offices and push back against cuts to biomedical research funding.