The federal government has cancelled numerous grants aimed at studying methods to prevent new HIV infections and expanding access to care, resulting in significant setbacks in the progress toward eliminating the HIV epidemic in the United States, according to scientists. Over the past month, more than 300 research projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been terminated, with 65 specifically related to researching advancements in HIV care. Some scientists were informed about the loss of funding as recently as last Thursday, leaving many without options to continue their work.
Julia Marcus, a professor at Harvard Medical School and recipient of two cancelled grants, expressed concerns that the research loss could result in a resurgence of HIV in the country. She further stated that these drastic cuts are rapidly destroying the infrastructure of scientific research in the US, threatening to loss a generation of scientists.
In 2012, the FDA approved pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an antiviral drug taken once a day that is highly effective at preventing new HIV infections. Despite its success, issues remain in accessing the drug and maintaining daily treatment, with 30,000 new infections occurring each year in the US. Many terminated HIV-related studies focused on improving access to drugs like PrEP in communities with higher infection rates, such as trans women and Black men.
A termination letter reviewed by the Guardian, dated 20 March, cited that “so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) studies are often used to support unlawful discrimination on the basis of race and other protected characteristics, which harms the health of Americans.” as a justification for defunding these grants.
The National Institutes of Health has not provided further explanation for the termination of these grants, stating that they are “taking action to terminate research funding that is not aligned with NIH and HHS priorities” while maintaining a dedication to upholding evidence-based science.
These sudden cancellations leave many researchers, including those from Brown University School of Public Health and University of California, Los Angeles, stunned, especially given Donald Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the US over the next decade. The cancellations are expected to have immediate impacts on funding for research staff, patient services, and could lead to layoffs in clinics.
Universities and professors are worried about the future of their research and the potential setbacks to the progress made in HIV prevention and treatment. The termination of these grants poses significant implications, not just for HIV research but for the broader field of healthcare. Eradicating an entire category of disease from research will have far-reaching consequences that affect the entire healthcare sector, effectively setting back decades of progress.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/31/trump-administration-hiv-research-grant-cuts
