The NIH was directed by the Trump administration to study 'regret' after gender transition surgery, an order that raises concerns about politically motivated interference in scientific research and potential harm to transgender communities.

During the Politico Health Care Summit, reform advocates highlighted that entrenched agencies, including the NIH, have contributed to decades of ineffective public health policy. The NIH was cited as part of the bureaucratic system implicated in the mass layoffs of 10,000 federal employees following HHS restructuring, underscoring its role in maintaining outdated practices.

Due to politically motivated funding cuts imposed by the Trump administration, NIH ended support for studies on climate change, COVID, and other vital topics. This decision undermines scientific inquiry and public health, reflecting a capitulation to authoritarian pressures.

On April 1, 2025, as part of a sweeping HHS restructuring aligned with a Trump-era executive order to cut administrative costs and DEI-related spending, mass layoffs were initiated across federal health agencies, impacting institutions such as the NIH.

The NIH is reportedly altering its research funding formula in a manner that aligns with the Trump administration’s demands to target elite universities, effectively using its financial influence to enforce political conformity. This move is seen as part of a broader strategy to use federal funding as leverage against institutions perceived as politically opposed, raising serious concerns about executive political engagement and economic coercion in public research.

The NIH has halted future funding for climate change and health research, a move influenced by directives aligned with the Trump administration's agenda. This decision undermines evidence-based public health research and appears to cede to industry pressures, particularly those from the fossil fuel lobby.

The NIH terminated dozens of grants for vaccine access and hesitancy research, a decision that undermines the public health infrastructure and could reflect politically motivated interference that jeopardizes independent scientific inquiry, which is vital for countering authoritarian influences.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has terminated hundreds of active research grants, with evidence suggesting that projects studying transgender populations, gender identity, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are being disproportionately affected. This decision appears politically motivated and raises serious concerns about academic freedom and the undermining of inclusive research practices.

The National Institutes of Health announced plans to cut $4 billion in biomedical research funding on February 10, 2025, a move criticized by academic and medical communities for undermining the nation’s research capacity. Critics argue that this decision, linked to the Project 2025 playbook, could weaken democratic institutions by diminishing evidence-based policymaking.

On February 7, 2025, the NIH announced drastic cuts to indirect research funding, a decision influenced by a Heritage Foundation report criticizing DEI spending. This policy change is seen as aligning with conservative, authoritarian-driven narratives that undermine academic independence and negatively impact economic structures in research communities.

The NIH has finalized a union-negotiated contract that includes increased pay, enhanced benefits, and stronger protections for early-career researchers, marking a positive step toward robust labor rights at a major federal research institution.

After over three years of effort and union organizing by NIH Fellows United, approximately 5000 nonpermanent researchers including postdocs, graduate students, and others at the National Institutes of Health secured a 3-year contract. The agreement secures a 40-hour workweek baseline, improved wages, paid parental leave, professional development support, protections against harassment, and other benefits despite earlier resistance from NIH representatives.

NIH rescinded its scientific integrity policy—which enshrined commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility—in order to align with broader HHS directives from the Trump administration. The change removes language supporting scientists from marginalized communities and undermines safeguards against political interference.

NIH researchers, including postdocs and graduate students, have secured a historic union contract that ensures better working conditions, increased pay, and comprehensive benefits. This milestone reinforces ethical labor practices and reinforces worker rights at a major federal research institution.

President-elect Trump has tapped Dr. Jay Bhattacharya—a health economist known for his contentious views on COVID-19 policies and his role in the Great Barrington Declaration—to head the NIH. This move has raised alarm among public health experts, who warn that politicizing leadership of the nation’s top biomedical research agency could undermine evidence-based research and public welfare.

A newly formed union representing NIH research fellows has accused agency management of intentionally delaying bargaining negotiations, exhibiting unresponsive behavior to proposals, and treating union members as second-class participants. This has raised concerns about NIH's commitment to fair labor practices and respect for worker rights.

A newly formed union representing NIH research fellows, backed by the UAW, has accused NIH management of intentionally delaying collective bargaining negotiations, including slow responses to proposals during critical sessions. This delay has raised concerns over fair labor practices and equal treatment of temporary research workers.

Early-career researchers at the NIH in Bethesda voted nearly 98% in favor of forming a union, marking the first union for research fellows within the U.S. federal government. This historic step emphasizes improved pay, better working conditions, and enhanced protections against harassment and excessive workloads.

Early-career researchers at the NIH voted overwhelmingly to form a union, aiming to address issues such as low pay, excessive workloads, and inadequate policies on harassment. The decision, following a brief period of agency resistance, marks a historic step in promoting fair labor practices at the nation’s largest public biomedical research institution.

A new study by NYU Stern Professor Deepak Hegde and Bhaven Sampat finds that lobbying by disease advocacy groups leads to Congressional earmarks that influence NIH research funding decisions for rare diseases by 3-15%. The study suggests that these special interest efforts may bias funding allocations, raising concerns about transparency and democratic accountability in publicly funded research.

Over 3,000 NIH researchers submitted union cards to petition for a union election to be represented by the United Auto Workers, seeking improved pay, benefits, and stronger protections against workplace harassment. Meanwhile, NIH stated it would remain neutral in the process and reiterated its ongoing anti-harassment initiatives.

Approximately 4,800 early-career NIH researchers, including graduate students and postdocs, have initiated unionization efforts by forming NIH Fellows United to demand improved labor rights and working conditions at the agency.

NIH's Ethics Program published comprehensive guidelines on lobbying activities, clarifying restrictions on the use of appropriated funds for lobbying and delineating boundaries for both federal and non-government employees. The document reinforces adherence to the Anti-Lobbying Act to prevent undue political influence, thereby supporting ethical governance and transparency.

NIH published updated guidance outlining statutory restrictions on the use of federal funds for lobbying activities by its grant recipients. The document clarifies both allowed and prohibited political engagement, ensuring recipients focus on advancing public health rather than engaging in partisan lobbying.