Report: NIH continues to pull research grants, in violation of court orders
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) are still terminating millions of dollars in research grants, seemingly in violation of federal court orders.
According to a report from the Boston Globe, NIH has been pulling grant awards from scientific researchers in Massachusetts and elsewhere, despite courts in Rhode Island, Maryland and Washington D.C. halting the cuts.
While President Donald Trump has made it a policy to restrict federal funding for initiatives related to transgender health and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), some of the scientists who are seeing their funding pulled told the outlet that their work is unrelated to identity politics or DEI.
In a ruling against the administration’s policies, a federal judge ordered that Trump officials cannot “punish, or threaten to punish, individuals and institutions based on the content of their speech, and in doing so, specifically target viewpoints the government seems to disfavor.”
Scientists who spoke to the Globe said letters notifying them of canceled funding began to arrive on February 28, accusing their research of being “unscientific,” and of doing “nothing to enhance the health of many Americans,” or “enhance health, lengthen life or reduce illness.”
Trump also blocked NIH funding that would benefit universities tied to China, but it appears the grants being pulled are not running afoul of that condition either.
The exact number of grants that have been terminated—as well as the reasons why—remains an open question.
Read the full feature from the Boston Globe at the link below.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.