Yesterday's New York Times article, President Trump’s Cuts to Medical Research, highlights a concerning trend in federal funding for life sciences research: funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) currently lags behind last year's levels by approximately $1 billion. This shortfall primarily is the result of cost-cutting actions taken by the Federal Administration that have disrupted NIH grant allocations, meetings, and communications in the scientific community.

While we can all agree that reducing waste and fraud in government spending is important – indiscriminately targeting life sciences research is not the right approach when these grants are already subject to an intense level of oversight and scrutiny. This research is crucial for advancing human health and maintaining U.S. dominance in biomedical innovation. The discoveries made through NIH-funded research often lead to groundbreaking advances in the scientific community’s understanding of diseases, laying the foundation for development of new treatments, drugs, and vaccines long before private investors become involved.

To give this some perspective, Tesla, Elon Musk’s for-profit, publicly traded company, has received 50% of the amounts his Department of Government Efficiency proposes cutting for life sciences. More specifically, Tesla has received 80 federal grants totalling over $333 million and state and local subsidies totalling over $2 billion since 2020. These facts are available on Tesla’s site, subsidytracker.com, and in the Forbes and Scientist articles cited below.

The current life sciences funding crisis threatens not only ongoing studies but also America's leadership in biomedical research and the economic benefits that flow from it. The U.S. engages in more impactful health sciences research than the next ten leading nations combined. Every dollar invested by the NIH generates over two dollars in economic activity and often leads to the issuance of numerous patents.

In addition, cuts to NIH will lower the quality of care. NIH funding supports the careers of doctors and other committed health professionals who turn down lucrative contracts in private medicine to work at teaching healthcare centers where they advance research while treating patients. These cuts also will adversely affect young people planning for advanced education in life sciences and professionals seeking fellowships and other grant-supported programs.

As we navigate these challenging times, we must recognize the long-term value of life sciences research. It's not just about maintaining America's competitive edge; it's about advancing treatments for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, and heart disease that affect millions of lives. Let's advocate for continued support of this vital sector that benefits our economy and our global health.

Melise Blakeslee, Esq. CIPP/E, President, Achieved Compliance Solutions

Please feel free to reach out with any questions on how to navigate regulatory privacy burdens in these challenging times: info@achievedcompliance.com

Here are citations to the information recited above:

1. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/health/national-institutes-of-health-research-grants.html

2. https://www.forbes.com/sites/shivaramrajgopal/2025/02/21/neither-us-states-nor-companies-fully-disclose-corporate-subsidies/

3. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/opinion/trump-public-health-funding-nih.html

4. https://www.the-scientist.com/nih-budget-cuts-are-a-short-sighted-setback-for-us-science-72707

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