Democracy Dies in Darkness

NIH cuts billions of dollars in biomedical funding, effective immediately

Researchers say it would hurt facilities that work on medical issues such as cancer research and heart disease. Elon Musk contends the old policy was “a ripoff.”

Updated February 8, 2025

8 min

A cancer research lab at the Gunderson Institute in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Virtually all universities and medical research centers across the country would be affected by the grant cuts. (Ryan Christopher Jones for The Washington Post)

By Dan Diamond

Carolyn Y. Johnson

and

Lena H. Sun

The Trump administration is cutting billions of dollars in biomedical research funding, alarming academic leaders who said it would imperil their universities and medical centers and drawing swift rebukes from Democrats who predicted dire consequences for scientific research.

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The move, announced Friday night by the National Institutes of Health, drastically cuts its funding for “indirect” costs related to research. These are the administrative requirements, facilities and other operations that many scientists say are essential but that some Republicans have claimed are superfluous.

By Dan Diamond

Dan Diamond is a White House reporter for The Washington Post, with a focus on policy and public health. His email is dan.diamond@washpost.com and you can reach him on Signal at @dan_diamond.01.@ddiamond

By Carolyn Y. Johnson

Carolyn Johnson is a science reporter. She previously covered the business of health and the affordability of health care to consumers. Email: carolyn.johnson@washpost.com. Signal: carojo.55@carolynyjohnson

By Lena H. Sun

Lena H. Sun is a staff writer covering health with a focus on public health/infectious disease. Email: lena.sun@washpost.com. Or reach her securely on Signal at 443-340-7611@bylenasun

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