Tell Congress to Restore Our Research! Reverse the 57% Cut to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP)
The Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) has been a critical source of funding for ME/CFS research since 2019, thanks to our community’s relentless advocacy. These programs have provided millions of dollars for groundbreaking studies aimed at understanding these diseases and developing urgently needed treatments.
However, Congress just voted to slash funding for CDMRP by 57%—cutting it from $1.509 billion to $650 million. Worse yet, funding for the specific program that ME/CFS is eligible to pull from, the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP), has been eliminated entirely. This means that ME/CFS research will receive $0 in FY25 from this program unless Congress acts urgently to restore these funds.
Why This Matters
- CDMRP funding has been instrumental in advancing ME/CFS and associated conditions research, filling critical gaps left by NIH underfunding.
- Cutting research funding mid-fiscal year disrupts ongoing projects, wastes years of progress, and delays urgently needed treatments.
- These cuts jeopardize research into post-viral illnesses, affecting not only ME/CFS and Long COVID but also broader biomedical advancements.
What’s Next and How You Can Help
We are working with bipartisan champions in Congress to restore this funding. Advocacy efforts are ongoing, with meetings scheduled next week with the House Appropriations Committee and the House Armed Services Committee to identify potential solutions. This must be a bipartisan effort, and we need your help in identifying Members of Congress who are willing to step up.
Take Action Now!
📢 Call or Email Your Members of Congress
Tell them:
- Restore CDMRP funding to FY24 levels and reinstate funding for ME/CFS research
- Cutting this funding threatens scientific progress and leaves millions of Americans suffering without hope for treatments.
- The U.S. cannot afford to fall behind in post-viral illness research—Congress must act now.
📢 Spread the Word on Social Media
- Use the hashtag #RestoreOurResearch
- Tag your Senators and Representatives
- Ask them to take action to restore funding for the CDMRP
Congress has the power to fix this—but only if we demand it. Act now and help restore funding for ME/CFS research!
Click here to take action.
