President Trump’s early actions in office have led to the termination or delay of nearly 2,500 National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants, slashing $1.6 billion from public medical science funding in just a few months.
In short:
- The NIH has cut or held back funding for more than 2,300 medical research projects since January, affecting studies on Alzheimer’s, cancer, substance use, and infectious disease.
- Research involving vaccine hesitancy, gender identity, health equity, and racial disparities has been especially targeted and often labeled as “ascientific” or politically misaligned.
- Graduate students and early-career scientists from marginalized backgrounds are losing critical support, with some leaving science entirely due to canceled grants.
Key quote:
“I would like to cure brain cancer. I think that's not particularly controversial.”
— Eden Tanner, chemist at the University of Mississippi
Why this matters:
For decades, NIH funding has powered discoveries that help Americans live longer, healthier lives. It backs not only blockbuster drug development but also local, under-the-radar research with real-world impact — from tracking Alzheimer’s to investigating maternal mortality in marginalized communities. The recent wave of cancellations and delays, often targeting diversity, vaccine, or equity-related work, jeopardizes this vast research pipeline. Much of the research lays the groundwork for medical advances and better care for underserved groups. NIH grants also sustain academic jobs and labs, and losing them has ripple effects: Students drop out, labs close, data collection stops, and promising drugs stall in early stages. With the administration now also considering banning grants that send money abroad and slashing the NIH budget by nearly 40%, the future of U.S. biomedical research is increasingly precarious.
Related: Trump’s NIH blocks U.S. scientists from channeling funds to overseas research partners
