Staff at the leading infectious disease research body in the U.S. have been asked to drop the terms “biodefense” and “pandemic preparedness” from their online material, as revealed in emails obtained by Nature.
This instruction arrives during a significant restructuring at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). According to four employees who requested anonymity, the NIAID intends to shift its focus away from funding projects related to these two topics.
During a recent event, NIH director Jay Bhattacharya discussed this transformation, stating, “It’s a complete transformation of [the NIAID] away from this old model.” Historically, the NIAID has concentrated on areas like HIV research, biodefense, and pandemic readiness. Now, the emphasis will switch to basic immunology and other pressing infectious diseases impacting the U.S. population, rather than preparing for potential future outbreaks.
Currently, about one-third of NIAID’s approximately $6.6 billion budget supports projects tied to emerging infectious diseases and biodefense. These efforts track concerning pathogens, monitor their spread, and create countermeasures against various health threats.
Nahid Bhadelia, from Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases, expressed concern that deprioritizing these areas could leave the U.S. more exposed to evolving pathogens from wildlife, which occasionally enter human communities and trigger outbreaks. “Just because we say we’re going to stop caring about these issues doesn’t make the issues go away,” she remarked.
An NIH spokesperson noted that the change focuses on the interconnected areas of infectious disease and immunology, aiming to enhance research opportunities that tackle the most critical health challenges facing Americans today. However, they did not elaborate on specific plans for restructuring.
Political Climate
Currently, the NIAID is led by acting director Jeffery Taubenberger, following the dismissal of Jeanne Marrazzo, the previous director, after a brief tenure under the Trump administration. In contrast, Anthony Fauci had held the position for nearly four decades.
Fauci and the NIAID faced criticism from Trump and certain Republican figures due to public health strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic, which they argued eroded public trust in health agencies. Notably, while Fauci provided recommendations during the pandemic, he did not dictate public health policies.
In an effort to regain trust, Bhattacharya, Taubenberger, and senior adviser John Powers proposed a “new vision” for the NIAID in a commentary published in Nature Medicine recently. They pointed out that the NIAID’s actions during the pandemic did not prevent widespread mortality in the U.S. and argued for a more urgent focus on allergic, autoimmune, and infectious diseases.
Shifting Focus
The directive to change the institute’s language is just the initial phase of implementing this new approach, according to NIAID staff. NIH principal deputy director Matthew Memoli plans to undertake additional changes, including reviewing the grants related to biodefense and pandemic preparedness over the coming weeks and months.
