Some scientific meetings involving the National Institutes of Health were abruptly canceled this week, leaving researchers concerned about their work and the implications for science under a second Trump administration.
An email from an official from the National Institutes of Health to a group that reviews federal grant applications for scientific research stated: “At this time, all Federal Advisory Committee meetings are canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.”
Email viewed by Medpage today He also indicated that a planned meeting of the group would be rescheduled for Thursday. “We will get back with you when we have more information,” he concluded. “Thank you for your service to the National Institutes of Health.”
sciences I mentioned The National Institutes of Health is also affected by the HHS-wide travel ban, as well as a federal-wide hiring freeze. It is not clear whether the cancellation is related to a recent pause on communications Ripple through federal health agencies – One up I stopped the post Leading CDC journal Weekly report on morbidity and mortality.
In an emailed statement in response to questions about the reason and scope of the pause and how it might impact current or future research, the National Institutes of Health confirmed the pause, citing a transition in departments.
HHS has issued a “pause on mass communications and public appearances that are not directly related to emergency or critical health preservation situations,” the NIH stated. “This is a short pause to allow the new team to set up a process for review and mandates. There are exceptions for announcements that HHS departments believe are important, but they will be made on a case-by-case basis.”
HHS did not immediately provide additional comment.
Meanwhile, a number of posts by researchers and health care professionals on social media expressed concern about what the temporary halt of operations would mean at the National Institutes of Health, a leader for medical research in the United States and globally.
“Today was a helluva day for public health,” Mark Hayward, Ph.D., a population health scientist and professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, said. he wrote on Blozki on Wednesday afternoon. “Equivalent to the CDC’s public health information, the closure of [diversity, equity, and inclusion]-Research projects and training programs related to the collaboration, board meetings and scientific peer review panels are pending. A scorched earth approach to population health science and training. “
“There’s a lot of uncertainty,” Hayward said afterward Medpage today In an interview. With respect to the National Institutes of Technology, this includes questions about what researchers will and will not be able to study going forward. In addition, there is concern about the impact of “even a small suspension” on certain research projects, the possibility of certain projects being cancelled, the economic impact on research cases, the overall scientific impact, and the availability of “quality research conducted in a timely manner.”
“Basic things, like grant review boards, panels that determine whether registered proposals will receive funding, and public training sessions, all of which have been cancelled.” (The post, from Wednesday, appears to have since delete.)
And, “[a]“The LL NIH study sections have been canceled indefinitely,” Jane Liebschutz, MD, MPH, an internal medicine physician and researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, said. He wrote on the platform. “This will halt science and destroy research budgets at universities.”
However, she added the following in Another post: “Before the panic sets [in]. The new director at the National Institutes of Health and Congress will want the research to continue, so the device will be launched at some point. Continue writing papers and preparing proposals. and educate the public about the key role that peer review plays in the necessary science, time and infrastructure investment. “
It remains to be seen how long the pause will last, and what any potential impacts on research will ultimately be.
