During a Budget Committee hearing on Tuesday, Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institute of Health (NIH), faced inquiries from senators regarding the agency’s staffing and grant capabilities under President Trump.
The senators are aiming to reduce NIH funding by $18 billion from the 2025 levels, particularly focusing on the Trump administration’s request for the 2026 budget.
This proposed 40% cut translates to 1,800 fewer new grants being awarded by the NIH, which could adversely affect many ongoing grants, according to STAT.
The budget proposal also outlines the Trump administration’s plans to restructure institutions, consolidating its 27 labs into eight.
It’s important to note that Congress will ultimately decide on the final NIH budget and how federal funds are allocated.
Here are four key takeaways from the hearing:
Bhattacharya Takes Responsibility for Grant Cuts
Since Trump returned to office in late January, NIH grant awards have dramatically decreased. One analysis found that NIH issued new grants totaling $2.3 billion between January and April of this year, a significant drop compared to the same timeframe in 2024.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) questioned Bhattacharya about the decrease in grants and the delays in making funding decisions.
Though initially hesitant, Bhattacharya ultimately accepted responsibility for the agency’s grant cancellations. “Changes in NIH priorities have brought about politicized science. I made these decisions. For instance, decisions regarding Harvard and several other institutions were made in coordination with the administration.”
We Aim to Reconcile with Universities
Since January, the NIH has canceled $9.5 billion in funds through 2,100 research grants and an additional $2.6 billion in contracts to prioritize clinical trials, a decision condemned by over 2,000 NIH scientists in a recent letter.
Democratic senators were critical of Bhattacharya for the administration’s proposed cuts to NIH funding.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) noted that his hometown’s research community has faced severe setbacks, stating that Northwestern University “has not received any NIH grants in over 11 weeks.”
“We are hopeful to reach resolutions with the universities regarding these decisions,” Bhattacharya remarked.
I Want Geographically Distributed NIH Funding
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) asked Bhattacharya about the NIH’s decision to impose a 15% cap on indirect costs for grant research. Bhattacharya indicated he couldn’t discuss the cap directly due to ongoing litigation.
Instead, he talked about the NIH grant funding process as an opportunity to ensure broader distribution of funds across the nation’s research institutions, arguing that 20 universities currently capture between 60% and 65% of NIH funding.
“It’s crucial that NIH investments are geographically diversified,” he asserted. “I look forward to collaborating with Congress to explore ways to expand the geographic distribution of NIH funds for scientific research.”
Dodges Questions About Long-Term Impacts
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) urged Bhattacharya to address pressing questions regarding the ramifications of the Trump administration’s changes to the NIH, particularly concerning staff turnover and the potential for future layoffs.
Murray also inquired about how many clinical trials have been impacted by the suspension or cancellation of NIH grants, and what the agency’s funding capabilities would be for clinical trials next year if the proposed budget is accepted.
Bhattacharya stated he was unable to answer these questions but committed to providing a response to Murray’s office by the end of the day.
Source: thehill.com