The email at the top of my inbox filled me with dread. It was from the National Institutes of Health, threatening years of scientific progress.
Upon opening the emails on a Friday evening in March, I discovered that NIH had abruptly cancelled all my research grants, prioritizing the health of gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals. The agency labeled my work as “contrary to scientific inquiry.”
To clarify, I’m not advocating for extreme ideologies, awakened concepts, gender theories, or any ideologies at all. I am a scientist dedicated to promoting health.
I’m enraged that the federal government has unjustly terminated a contract supporting my efforts to understand and combat cancer, heart disease, maternal mortality, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and numerous health threats.
On April 2nd, I joined several colleagues, the American Public Health Association, the Reproductive Health Organization, and labor unions that depend on NIH grants. We filed a federal lawsuit challenging the arbitrary cancellation of research funding. The lawsuit names several defendants, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The termination is claimed to stem from a “reckless and unlawful purge” intended to obstruct scientific study on topics and groups that the administration wishes to avoid, contravening both Congressional mandates and NIH’s own strategic goals for advancing biomedical innovation.
This lawsuit is crucial for my professional survival. With my entire NIH funding eliminated, I cannot sustain my work at the LGBTQ Health Center for Excellence unless the donor fulfills their multi-year commitment.
However, this issue transcends my personal future. It highlights the diminishing state of scientific freedom, which is essential for better health for everyone.
NIH funding plays a crucial role in the development of nearly all treatments sanctioned by the Food and Drug Administration. These medications have markedly enhanced average life expectancy for those battling cancer, HIV, and heart disease.
While medicines are vital, advancements in public health are even more significant factors in enhancing health and longevity. These improvements also arise from NIH-funded research.
Some of our studies may seem narrowly focused. For instance, we could be investigating why a specific group is at an unexpectedly high risk for colon cancer. If you are not part of that group, you might wonder why your taxes support such research.
One explanation is our interconnectedness. Your child’s teacher may belong to that group, or perhaps your boss, or even your favorite restaurant chef. If they are unable to work for months due to a preventable illness, it will impact your life as well.
Another reason is that scientific breakthroughs often apply across different populations. By pinpointing and addressing health declines in one group, we can potentially adapt those strategies to enhance overall health.
The most critical reason, and the driving force behind my participation in this case, is that science should not be influenced by political whims.
The NIH grants, which were recently terminated, were funded only after a thorough scientific evaluation process. A group of scientific professionals received multi-year contracts because they recognized this work as vital in promoting and safeguarding the health of all Americans. Under these contracts, I employed staff, acquired equipment, engaged in community outreach, and initiated my research.
Now, anonymous bureaucrats are dismantling these contracts based on political biases.
Research aimed at LGBTQ and transgender health is just a small fraction of the work affected, including my project. Significant studies aimed at testing new vaccines, enhancing access to essential medications, identifying new Alzheimer’s disease risk factors, and alleviating cancer’s impact on low-income populations have also been abruptly halted. Additionally, Kennedy initiated this week a removal of scientific leadership responsible for ensuring the overall health and benefits of the nation.
These moves will not aid in the restoration of America’s health. In fact, they render us more susceptible.
Moreover, these decisions are not financially wise. By abruptly cancelling multi-year contracts with academic researchers midway, NIH is squandering previous investments. In many instances, substantial work has already been done, and data collected, but without funding to analyze and publish the findings, these results will never be shared.
While this investment constitutes only a small portion of the federal budget, NIH stands as the largest global supporter of biomedical research. It is the driving force behind both scientific progress and economic growth. For every dollar spent on research, there is $2.56 in economic activity, showcasing a powerful multiplier effect that benefits every state in the country.
Discontinuing these arbitrary grants—carried out without the required individual review mandated by law—puts all of this at stake. When political rhetoric supersedes scientific inquiry, it is all Americans who face the repercussions. Only by presenting a united front and embracing the entirety of scientific research can we pave the way for a healthier and more equitable future.
Epidemiologist Dr. Brittany Charlton is an associate professor. The LGBTQ Health Center for Excellence operates under the Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute in partnership with Harvard University School of Public Health.
