The National Institutes of Health has a new resource to help people understand the impact of NIH-funded initiatives in areas such as health, the economy, our communities, and important advances in knowledge that can push research and discovery forward for years to come.

The site also includes news items and a toolbox with online tools, reports, and presentations.

Read more at http://www.nih.gov/about/impact/index.htm.

From the site:

NIH is the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world. This research has had a major positive impact on nearly all of our lives by improving human health, fueling the U.S. economy, and creating jobs in our communities.

Due in large measure to NIH research, a baby born in the United States today can expect to live to nearly age 79—about three decades longer than one born in 1900. Not only are we living longer, but our quality of life is improving. Over the last quarter century, the proportion of older people with chronic disabilities has dropped by nearly one-third.

NIH also drives job creation and economic growth. NIH research funding directly supports hundreds of thousands of American jobs and serves as a foundation for the medical innovation sector, which employs 1 million U.S. citizens.