The Trump administration’s plan to cut billions of dollars in biomedical research funding is sparking widespread concern among academics and researchers. The move, which takes effect on Monday, will cap the rate of indirect costs at 15%, reducing tens of millions of dollars in funding for many universities.
Critics argue that the policy change will have devastating consequences, including job losses, halted clinical trials, and slowed progress toward cures for cancer and other diseases. Researchers say that high rates of funding for indirect costs helped subsidize the infrastructure necessary for their work, balancing out lower private foundation funding.
The administration’s decision has been welcomed by some as a victory for government efficiency, but others are warning of opposition from GOP lawmakers worried about the impact on constituents in red states with universities.
“This abrupt change will have real consequences for medical science,” said Kimryn Rathmell, a former director of the National Cancer Institute. “Many people will lose jobs, and this will slow down progress toward cures.”
NIH officials argue that the policy change is necessary to bring funding in line with private foundations, which do not fund indirect costs at all. However, critics say that NIH’s selective highlighting of university endowments in its announcement is misleading, as these funds are subject to donor restrictions.
The move has sparked a heated debate about the role of government funding in supporting research and the balance between funding for scientific work and administrative costs.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/02/08/nih-cuts-billions-dollars-biomedical-funding-effective-immediately