MicrobeWorld

Head of the US National Institutes of Health Francis Collins was asked some tough questions by a House of Representatives subcommittee examining the new National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NCATS. The goal of the new center, opened in 2012, is to reduce the amount of time needed to develop new drugs, diagnostic tests, and medical devices. One concern, voiced by Representative Michael Simpson (R, Idaho) is that the center will divert funds from basic research. Most vocal was former Merck CEO Roy Vagelos, who said "Does anyone in the audience believe that there is something that NCATS is going to do that the industry thinks is critical and that they are not doing?"