A federal judge in Massachusetts granted a restraining order against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) after 22 states filed lawsuits to block the order.
U.S. District Judge Angel Kelly, who was appointed former President Biden, granted the request for a temporary restraining order issued Friday in the NIH fee change notice. This funding was spent on management and facility costs to carry out the research.
On Monday, the attorney general of 22 states filed a lawsuit blocking the order, with Kelly's order coming within a day of filing.
“The defendant and his officers, employees, servants, agents, appointees and successors implement and apply notices of change of fees (Not-OD-25-068) until further orders within the plaintiff's state; or prohibited from taking action to enforce it. It was issued by this court,” Kelly's order said.
The judge gave the NIH until Friday to oppose the claim. The federal health agency typically does not comment on the pending lawsuit, but Oka reached out to the NIH for comments.
“The impact of the notice of change of fees will be immediate and devastating,” the Attorney General warned in their lawsuit.
“Medical schools, universities, research institutions and other grant recipients across the country have already budgeted for specific indirect cost rates negotiated with the federal government and formalized through designated statutory and regulatory legal procedures. (and obligated), they added.
“The agency's actions will result in layoffs, halting clinical trials, disruption to ongoing research programs, and closure of the laboratory.”
Republicans Sen. Susan Collins (Mayne) and Katie Britt (Alabama) expressed concern about the funding cuts on Monday, saying Collins opposed “unconsidered instructions.”
In an interview, Britt said that a targeted approach should be implemented to “not hinder life-saving and groundbreaking research at sophisticated institutions like Alabama.” .
Collins on Monday He spoke to CNN's Manu Raju She told her after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voted to become a health and welfare secretary and said he would “review” the funding cuts if he was confirmed.
