President Donald Trump’s administration has ended funding for a research program that worked on finding a vaccine for HIV. The two-year program at Duke University and Scripps Research Institute received over $258 million in funding before being terminated.
The program focused on developing broadly neutralizing antibodies, which have been shown to provide long-lasting protection against multiple strains of HIV. This work not only improved treatments for HIV but also benefited other illnesses such as COVID-19, snake bites, and autoimmune diseases.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), they are shifting their focus towards using currently available approaches to eliminate HIV/AIDS. The NIH also paused funding for a separate clinical trial of an HIV vaccine made by Moderna.
Leading researchers express concern over the decision, stating that “killing research on one will end up killing people” and warning that this move could derail progress in medical advancements and social mitigation against HIV.
The administration’s actions are part of their efforts to cut funding for various programs aimed at preventing and treating HIV. This includes halting disbursement of funds from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a $7.5 billion program providing treatment for HIV in Africa and developing countries.
Critics argue that these cuts will have devastating effects on public health, particularly in areas with limited resources. The decision to transfer some work related to HIV prevention and treatment to a new agency is seen as insufficient, given the lack of details about how it can serve communities impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-administration-cuts-258-million-dollars-program-crucial-to-hiv-vaccines