Agency's Role

National Institutes of Health | NIH

The NIH is a medical research agency that is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. NIH is the primary agency of the US government responsible for public health research. I am very interested in research and the NIH is very appealing to me.
The first medical research funded by the government was in the 1870's when Congress allocated funds to investigate the causes of epidemics like cholera and yellow fever. However, the the National Institute of Health was not officially established until 1930. The National Cancer Institute is a division of NIH and the NIH also launched The Human Genome Project. The NIH is also responsible for the discovery of fluoride to prevent tooth decay, the use of lithium to manage bipolar disorder, and the creation of vaccines against hepatitis and shingles. The NIH has made many important discoveries to advance public health and continues to do so. They are a vital agency withing the US government.


Reference: National Institutes of Health [NIH] (2018). Research & Discoveries. retrieved from: https://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/ocmr/research-discoveries.html

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