For well more than a century, the United States has been a world leader in medical research, with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at the forefront of many groundbreaking scientific discoveries and treatments. Supporting studies at universities and research institutions across the country, the NIH is the largest single public funder of biomedical and behavioral research in the world, discovering ways to prevent, treat, and cure diseases such as cancer, addiction, and diabetes. Additionally, the NIH is an economic powerhouse, generating $2.46 of economic activity for every $1 spent and directly supporting the employment of more than 300,000 researchers and support staff at more than 2,500 institutions.
The recently formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, along with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., threaten to set U.S. health research back decades, which will undermine our nation’s progress in developing breakthrough therapies and protecting Americans’ health and well-being. In addition to halting research, Kennedy and other members of the administration are breaking their promise to follow scientific evidence and instead are spreading false information about the causes, prevention, and treatment of diseases such as measles.
Please join the Center for American Progress to hear from researchers affected by these cuts, including those who are working to protect critical research supported by the NIH, and those on the front lines working to prevent the spread of preventable diseases.
