The Trump administration terminated $1.81 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants within 40 days, including $544 million in unspent funds, according to an analysis published in JAMA, based on data from the Department of Health and Human Services. This analysis provides the most comprehensive view of NIH funding cuts as part of the administration’s efforts to curb perceived waste and inefficiency in federal spending.
From February 28 to April 8, nearly 700 grants across 24 NIH institutes focused on aging, cancer, child health, and other areas were terminated. Notably, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities faced the brunt of these cuts, with roughly 30% of its funding eliminated—ten times more than the average cut experienced by other institutes. President Trump’s budget proposal seeks to completely eliminate funding for this institute, describing it as burdened with DEI expenditures and calling for a broader NIH budget reduction to $27 billion, including cuts to research on gender and climate change.
The terminated grants primarily supported research projects, with about 20% being early-career fellowships and training. Larger grants, often funding significant clinical trials, were more frequently terminated, raising concerns about public and private research disruptions. Columbia University, which had 157 grants terminated, bore the most significant cuts. The university has cited these terminations as a substantial financial strain and is actively engaging with the federal government to resume funding.
Overall, the analysis highlights how these abrupt funding cuts could drastically affect both ongoing research and broader scientific progress.
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