NIH's Reckless Clinical Trial Cuts Under Trump Administration
The Trump administration ordered the NIH to cancel hundreds of research awards, including over 100 clinical trials, risking patient safety and jeopardizing scientific progress amid ethical concerns.
Published on March 30, 2025
In March 2025, reports emerged that the Trump administration had ordered the NIH to terminate hundreds of research awards, including over 100 ongoing clinical trials. Experts warned that such abrupt cutbacks risk leaving trial participants without proper follow-up care and monitoring, potentially endangering their health and undermining significant scientific progress.
Additional coverage from outlets like The Atlantic (March 28, 2025) and Axios has highlighted not only the ethical concerns surrounding these terminations but also the broader impact on research, including projects addressing COVID-19, LGBTQ issues, and health equity. Faced with budget cuts, institutions such as Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Carnegie Mellon University are bracing for severe financial constraints, compounding the challenges of maintaining critical medical research under unclear NIH guidelines.