President Donald Trump’s administration has announced that she will reduce billions of dollars from directing costs for grants for biomedical research as part of the broader cost saving measures, which some scientists say they will suffocate scientific progress.
In a statement on Friday, the National Health Institutes (NIH) said they would reduce support for “indirect costs” relating to research – such as buildings, utility services and equipment.
“The United States should have the best medical research in the world,” he said in his announcement. “Accordingly, it is of vital importance to ensure that the more funds go according to direct costs of scientific research, not administrative directing costs.”
The agency estimated that the reduction – which will enter into force on Monday – will save $ 4 billion (£ 3.2 billion).
On Friday, he announced that he would limit support for the costs of indirect research at 15 percent and half of the current average rate of 30 percent.
Elon Musk – the leader of the newly established Ministry of Government Efficiency (Doge), the unofficial groups to reduce the costs Trump gave freedom to reduce state consumption – claimed that some universities spent above those 30 percent.
“Can you believe that tens of billions in gifts have chased 60% of the money for the” Directors “award?” Musk wrote on X. “What a ripoff!”
In the meantime, scientists have expressed concern that reductions will affect vital medical studies.
The Association of American Medical Faculty has announced that the previous support of government indirect institutions and administrative costs “allows medical research to occur.”
This move will “diminish the national research ability, slowing scientific progress and denying patients, families and communities throughout the country of new treatments, diagnostics and preventative interventions,” the group states.
Anusha Kalbasi, an lead of lead radiation from Stanford University, who receives grants, called the “disaster beyond belief” move.
“Some places have private funds that can use to seek things for a while, but otherwise, who pays electricity, rental, water, administration institutions?
The US Council for Education said in a statement that funds for donation of indirect costs enabled universities to maintain “top laboratories” and advanced technology needed to stay ahead of foreign competitors and delivery of breakthroughs in the study.
The president of the group, Ted Mitchell, said Washington Post That some laboratories had already started to close during the weekend in the light of news.
He said that the groups would be expected to file a lawsuit for a decrease in Monday.
The proposal for restriction of indirect research is included Project 2025, “Wish list” conservative priorities Wrote the Think Tank Foundation of Heritage.
“The Congress should limit the rate of indirect costs paid to universities so that it does not exceed the lowest rate that the University accepts from the private organization for the financing of research efforts,” the proposal said.
