Scientists sue NIH over politically motivated funding cuts

A coalition of scientists, health organizations, and academic researchers has filed a federal lawsuit in Massachusetts, alleging that the National Institutes of Health unlawfully canceled hundreds of research grants since President Donald Trump assumed office. The suit claims that politically sensitive topics—ranging from diversity and gender to vaccine hesitancy—led to the termination of critical studies, including projects on HIV prevention, child violence, pregnancy-related health disparities, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The plaintiffs argue that these abrupt actions not only waste taxpayer dollars by cutting funding mid-course but also violate NIH’s standard science-based review process and congressional mandates. Additional voices, including researchers from Harvard and other institutions, warn that the funding cuts undermine rigorous scientific inquiry and could delay breakthroughs in public health, as evidenced by lawsuits filed as recently as early April 2025.