The National Institutes of Health Needs an Overhaul

During the first 60 years of the 20th century, United States life expectancy rose, on average, by 0.37 years per year. After 1960, the rate of improvement suddenly dropped by more than half to 0.15 years per year before the Covid-19 effects.

A significant factor in this slowdown was rapid expansion of and mismanagement by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During the first 60 years, NIH spending increased by $139 million per year in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars. After 1960, it increased by five times that amount — $703 million per year:

JE

About the Author

John Early

John Early is an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute and formerly served as assistant commissioner at the Bureau of Labor Statistics directing the Consumer Price Index program.

TK

About the Author

Terence Kealey

Terence Kealey, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, is a professor of clinical biochemistry at the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom.

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During the first 60 years of the 20th century, United States life expectancy rose, on average, by 0.37 years per year. After 1960, the rate of improvement suddenly dropped by more than half to 0.15 years per year before the Covid-19 effects.

A significant factor in this slowdown was rapid expansion of and mismanagement by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During the first 60 years, NIH spending increased by $139 million per year in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars. After 1960, it increased by five times that amount — $703 million per year:

JE

About the Author

John Early

John Early is an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute and formerly served as assistant commissioner at the Bureau of Labor Statistics directing the Consumer Price Index program.

TK

About the Author

Terence Kealey

Terence Kealey, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, is a professor of clinical biochemistry at the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom.