npr.org
NIH's Uncertain Future Under Trump
Potential changes to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the next Trump administration are causing concern among researchers and experts.
English
United States
PoliticsUs PoliticsHealthScienceHealthcareGovernmentResearch
National Institutes Of Health (Nih)Paragon Health InstituteHeritage FoundationResearch America
Donald TrumpAnthony FauciJoel ZinbergEllie DehoneyElias ZerhouniLarry GoldsteinRobert F. Kennedy Jr
- What are the potential negative consequences of these proposed changes?
- Concerns exist that changes to the NIH could disrupt research, reduce funding, and shift decision-making power away from scientific merit towards political influence, jeopardizing the agency's independence.
- What are some of the proposed changes to the NIH under the next Trump administration?
- The NIH's future is uncertain under the next Trump administration, with proposals ranging from streamlining its structure and leadership to altering its grant-making process and potentially cutting its budget.
- What specific changes to the NIH's structure and grant-making process are being considered?
- Some proposed changes include reducing the number of NIH institutes and centers, imposing term limits on leadership to prevent long-term control by individuals like Dr. Fauci, and changing the grant-making process to make it less "inbred".
- What is the controversy surrounding the proposal to provide block grants to states for NIH funding?
- One suggestion is to distribute some of the NIH's funding to states via block grants, which is opposed by experts like Dr. Elias Zerhouni due to potential loss of peer review and increased political influence.
- What is the debate surrounding the potential restrictions on funding for research using fetal tissue?
- There are also discussions about limiting research on fetal tissue, which scientists argue would hinder advancements in treating diseases involving organ and brain damage.