ASTRO joined with hundreds of organizations as part of the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research in an April 7 letter calling for a 9% increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for fiscal year 2026. The letter noted how NIH research makes Americans healthier while also enhances US global competitiveness. ASTRO and the research community is concerned that NIH funding is not keeping pace with increasing costs, risking the next generation of medical advances and research talent.