22 USA States Sue Trump Administration for Slashing Critical Medical Research Funding

Massachusetts Attorney Andrea Joy Campbell, along with 21 other USA state attorneys general, sued the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). They accused the administration of unlawfully cutting funds that support advanced medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country.

States Fight Back Against NIH Cuts, Defending Research Institutions Across the Country and Public Health

The coalition is challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to unilaterally reduce “indirect cost” reimbursements at research institutions across the country. These reimbursements help cover necessary expenses for biomedical research, including lab operations, faculty salaries, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without these funds, critical research, especially in Massachusetts, home to renowned institutions like Harvard Medical School, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the Broad Institute, risks being severely impacted.

Each institution negotiates its indirect costs with the federal government, ensuring they reflect its specific needs and objectives. In response, the coalition is pursuing legal action to safeguard these vital funding structures and ensure that medical research remains supported and protected from unilateral policy changes.

“Massachusetts is the medical research capital of the country. We are the proud home of nation-leading universities and research institutions that save lives, create jobs, and help secure a better future,” said Andrea Joy Campbell, Attorney General of Massachusetts. “We will not allow the Trump Administration to unlawfully undermine our economy, hamstring our competitiveness, or play politics with our public health.”  

The attorneys general of Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan are leading the lawsuit, joined by their counterparts from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

NIH’s 15% Funding Cut Poised to Take Immediate Effect, Jeopardizing Medical Research

The NIH announced a sudden reduction in indirect cost rates to a flat 15%, which falls short of covering the actual costs of advanced medical research. The NIH intended for this cut to take effect immediately on Monday, February 10, leaving universities and institutions with no time to adjust to the resulting budget deficits. Without prompt intervention, this move could lead to the suspension of crucial clinical trials, disruption of ongoing research, layoffs, and the closure of laboratories.

The coalition argues that this decision violates the Administrative Procedure Act, citing a directive passed by Congress during President Trump’s first term that blocked his previous attempt to reduce research reimbursements. This law, still in effect, prohibits the NIH from imposing blanket cuts to indirect cost reimbursements. The coalition is seeking a court order to prevent the Trump Administration and NIH from carrying out this action.

As the main federal source of funding for medical research, the NIH has supported numerous innovative discoveries, including cancer treatments and the first DNA sequencing. Many scientists funded by the NIH have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their pioneering work. 

“This really should go without saying, but making drastic and rushed cuts to funding that supports the fight against cancer and other dangerous diseases is wrong. And what makes cuts like these all the more appalling is that they’re clearly being made in order to fund tax cuts that will disproportionately benefit the ultra wealthy,” said Josh Kaul, Attorney General of Wisconsin. “Our health and well-being shouldn’t have to suffer so that folks like Elon Musk can get massive tax breaks.”

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Author

Denisse Sandoval