Although answers may seem slow in coming, researchers are working every day to solve the painful riddle of IC. Some scientists receive funds from the Federal Government to help support their research, and some receive support from other sources such as their employing institution, drug companies, and the Interstitial Cystitis Association. Researchers and doctors around the country, regardless of who funds their work, may competently diagnose and treat Interstitial Cystitis.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), leads the Federal Government's research efforts on Interstitial Cystitis. Most studies funded by the NIDDK are a result of unsolicited grant applications sent to NIH by scientists at universities and medical centers throughout the United States. Other NIDDK-funded studies result from solicitations issued to encourage increased research on a certain topic.