Trump is poisoning biomedical research in the US

The US has been an international leader in biomedical research for decades. Now, the Trump administration wants to blow that up.

“The directive also brings the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) lengthy scientific grant review process to a standstill.

“All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities,” said Dr Jane Liebschutz, an opioid addiction researcher at the University of Pittsburgh who posted on Bluesky about canceled study review activities. “Even short delays will put the United States behind in research.”

“The NIH is the largest single public funder of biomedical and behavioral research in the world. Every $1 investment yields a $2.46 return, according to its Office of Budget. The extent to which this transitional period will jeopardize US research activities is unclear.”

If this continues for more than a couple months, it will do lasting damage to the biomedical research enterprise in the US. Not just at universities and research institutes, but the Pharma industry that depends on the research funded by the NIH in order to innovate.

 https://healthpolicy-watch.news/trump-administration-halts-health-communications-freezes-research-grants/