NIH Documents Reveal Cuts to COVID Research Funding

Swift Summary

• U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are canceling billions of dollars in research funding, including COVID-19 studies.
• NIH has directed termination of nearly 400 grants on topics like transgender issues, climate change, diversity equity inclusion (DEI), vaccine hesitancy, and environmental justice.
• NIH’s new guidance cites the end of the pandemic as justification for halting COVID-related projects worth $850 million across approximately 600 ongoing studies.
• CDC plans to revoke $11.4 billion in pandemic response funds distributed to U.S. health departments.
• Major terminations include a $577-million program developing antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses with pandemic potential.
• Long-COVID research is uncertain; HHS will shut down its Office of Long COVID Research and Practice this week despite concerns from scientists about long-term effects of infections.
• Critics argue that abrupt cancellations risk undermining future pandemic preparedness and addressing post-pandemic health challenges.

Scientific American