During a Senate HELP Committee hearing last week, Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) spoke about incentivizing private companies to conduct research traditionally done by NIH.
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00:00Thank you, Mr. Chair.
00:02Is something on?
00:04I guess it's on enough.
00:06Thank you, Mr. O'Neill, for being here.
00:09Thank you for your willingness to go deeper into public service.
00:13You have experience with companies that are focused on age-related diseases and conditions, Alzheimer's being prominent.
00:24Certainly, I share that interest and have been particularly interested in some of the research around sugar and ultra-processed foods that could be connected to dementia, different types of dementia in later life.
00:39As you may know, the Trump administration's NIH funding cuts and delays have led to a large amount of confusion.
00:48Some would call it chaos, particularly at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers.
00:54I mean, let's put it this way.
00:58Are you still interested in further research and understanding into the causes of and possible treatments of Alzheimer's?
01:05And if so, will you figure out some way to restore funding to the Alzheimer's Disease Research Projects being done at NIH?
01:13Senator, that does absolutely remain an interest.
01:16There are multiple causes of dementia.
01:19Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and Lewy bodies are perhaps the three most well-known.
01:23There could be others.
01:24There could be others that we don't know about.
01:26I think it's an open scientific question of how much we should focus research money more downstream, specifically Alzheimer's for these dollars, specifically Parkinson's for these dollars, specifically Lewy bodies for these dollars,
01:40and versus how much we should focus research dollars more upstream on what potential common factors and common causes all kinds of dementia and all kinds of aging damage has.
01:52I don't have a specific answer for that, but it is an area of intellectual and operational interest for me, and I would love to engage in that.
02:00Good. Glad to hear that.
02:02In Colorado and in a lot of states, we worked hard to make access to green spaces and natural outdoor environments, recreational opportunities.
02:17It was both an economic priority for outdoor recreation as a big part of most of the western states, I would say, I'd say all the western states, but also as a public health benefit.
02:32And making sure that those who work in outdoor spaces are safe, I think is a responsibility for all of us and for the federal government.
02:41Nearly all the workers at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health have been laid off, equally at that office, the same office in Denver.
02:54The office in Denver specifically focused on occupational health hazards experienced often uniquely in the west, such as wildfire.
03:03If you're fighting wildfires, what does that particulate and all those noxious smoke and fumes that you inhale, what are the consequences of that?
03:15If you're confirmed, Mr. O'Neill, how will you prioritize occupational safety and health, particularly in the west, with a severely feebled staff?
03:28In other words, the federal office has been not quite destroyed, but significantly reduced.
03:40Thank you, Senator.
03:41Thank you, Senator.
03:42That is a huge concern.
03:44As someone who's lived in Marin County, California for the last 14 years, I've had a lot of negative experience with smoke from wildfires.
03:53Stocked up on N95 masks before the COVID pandemic.
03:58Recall trying to understand the distinction between the N95 masks that were approved by FDA versus the ones that were approved by NIOSH.
04:05They seem very similar.
04:06I think they are pretty similar.
04:08Of course, it's important that all parts of government, including state governments, do their best to prevent wildfires and respond to them.
04:18And HHS, of course, has a role.
04:20I'm fine with that.
04:21I guess my question is really, are you going to fight like hell to make sure you get enough funding so you can do that basic, some of that basic research?
04:27Because it is ongoing and critical.
04:30Last question, and then I'll let you go.
04:34As you know, the National Institutes of Health are the largest funders of biomedical research on Earth.
04:39Basic research often informs the next big discovery, often done in-house at NIH.
04:46Many biomedical companies are not incentivized to do this nuts and bolts research that translates into the big deal.
04:55And yet we all depend on that research.
04:57So I've confirmed, Deputy Secretary, how are you going to incentivize private companies and institutions to conduct research that historically they have depended on NIH for, but now are going to have to do on their own?
05:08I think I agree with the whole premise of your question very strongly, Senator.
05:12Companies have a financial incentive to do late-stage transitional research.
05:16They don't have an incentive to do basic research, which is also harder to patent.
05:20It's important that NIH do very extensive basic research because almost no one else will.
05:25You're going to have a lot of work to do.
05:27Thank you very much.
05:28Thank you, Senator.
05:29I yield.
05:31Mr. O'Neill, just a follow-up.
05:34In my question, I ask regarding there's a current effective mandate of CDC.
05:42If somebody wishes to become a permanent resident of the United States legally, it is effectively mandated that they receive vaccines.
05:49Would knowing your opposition to mandates, would you attempt to rescind that?
05:57Senator, I share a concern about either legal immigrants or illegal immigrants.
06:03coming into the country with an infectious disease or without recommended vaccinations.
06:11I've not had a chance to discuss.
06:13I've been focused on most of the vaccine questions on rules for citizens and advice to citizens.
06:20I haven't had a chance to discuss rules for illegal immigrants with the secretary, but I would be happy, if confirmed, to dig in on that issue.
06:28Well, I will have that as my question for the record, if you could respond to that before next week.
06:37And for any other senator wishing to ask additional questions, questions for the record will be due at 5 p.m. tomorrow, May 9th.
06:44Thank you again to Mr. O'Neill for being here. The committee stands adjourned. Thank you.