Scientists sue NIH, saying politics cut their research funding

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A group of scientists and health groups sued the National Institutes of Health on Wednesday, arguing that an “ideological purge” of research funding is illegal and threatens medical cures.

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, hundreds of NIH research grants have been abruptly canceled for science that mentions the words diversity, gender and vaccine hesitancy, as well as other politically charged topics.

That has led to grants being cut that fund studies of HIV prevention, violence prevention in children, pregnancy health disparities and Alzheimer’s disease, among others, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.

The suit aims to restore the money and end the terminations, arguing they violate NIH’s usual science-based review process, specific orders from Congress to tackle health equity and disparities, and federal regulations.

It also argues the cancellations waste taxpayer dollars by ending projects midstream before the results are in.

The suit was filed by the American Public Health Association, unions representing scientists and some researchers who were stripped of grants.

NIH’s parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, declined comment on litigation.

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