Uncertain With government spending plans in disarray due to major new outlays for recovery and military efforts, biomedical researchers fear that the move to double the National Institutes of Health's budget to $27 billion by 2003 is in jeopardy. Although a major increase for next year appears safe, future raises could be scaled back. But some areas--such as research on defenses against biological attack--could prosper.
Researchers funded by the military, meanwhile, may face feast or famine. Programs judged marginal may be cancelled to free up funds for military operations, observers say. Pentagon R&D projects considered critical--such as developing new security technologies--may be put on a fast track.
Congressional leaders this week were expected to decide whether to buy themselves some time by passing legislation that would freeze budgets at existing levels for up to 6 months into the new fiscal year, which begins 1 October, or try to finalize new spending numbers by the end of next month.
