NIH Staff Condemn Funding Cuts, Warn of Harm

More than 340 scientists and staff at the NIH have issued the Bethesda Declaration, with both public and anonymous signatures, condemning Trump administration policies and funding cuts that they say politicize research and foster a culture of fear. The declaration accuses NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya of enabling these changes, which include terminating 2,100 research grants worth between $9.5 and $12 billion. These cuts have led to halted clinical trials, unmonitored patients, and lost research progress in critical areas like COVID-19, health disparities, and climate change. Organizers argue that recent leadership changes and funding reductions threaten NIH's mission and endanger public health in the U.S. and globally. The letter was sent to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and members of Congress, urging them to protect the agency’s independence and resources. NIH leadership has pledged support for open academic discourse, but employees still fear retaliation.