AMTA Urges Congress to Preserve NCCIH Funding Amid Proposed Cuts
June 2, 2025
AMTA submitted a statement to the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee to express strong support for continued federal funding of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and to convey firm opposition to the Administration’s recent proposal to eliminate the Center.
AMTA thanks the Subcommittee for its longstanding commitment to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), particularly its support of NCCIH’s work in advancing evidence-based, non-opioid pain management solutions like massage therapy. The letter underscores the serious public health consequences that would result from dissolving NCCIH—an agency uniquely positioned to lead research for integrative treatments for chronic pain, a condition that now outpaces diabetes, depression, and hypertension in prevalence. Such a move, AMTA argues, would run counter to national health goals, including those outlined in the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
Massage Therapy's Growing Role in Integrative Health Care
AMTA highlights how massage therapy is increasingly accepted as a safe and effective pain relief option across many healthcare settings. Currently, massage is:
• Recognized as a supplemental benefit in Medicare Advantage plans.
• Covered for veterans and active-duty military personnel.
• Integrated into top-tier healthcare institutions including Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Duke Integrative Medicine.
• Endorsed by national bodies such as the American College of Physicians and The Joint Commission.
• Supported by research demonstrating efficacy in conditions from cancer-related and chronic pain to neonatal care and trauma recovery.
• Promoted through innovative studies targeting underserved populations and complex conditions like cystic fibrosis and pregnancy loss.
Federal Support is Vital for Continued Research Funding
In collaboration with the Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF), AMTA has already helped fund over $2 million in research, but stresses that federal investment through NCCIH is essential to keep building on this momentum. The letter closes with an urgent request: that the Committee protect NCCIH’s funding and operational capacity so it can continue to lead integrative health research, helping ensure safe, effective non-pharmacologic treatments are available to all Americans.