National Institute of Health scientists signed a declaration decrying the cuts to healthcare and medical research by the Trump administration on Monday. Ninety-two scientists added their names to a letter, the Bethesda Declaration, which calls out the Trump administration’s handling of the NIH and the cutting of more than 2,100 research grants and contracts, totaling more than $12 billion in federal funding.
The letter, named for NIH’s headquarters in Maryland, expresses the scientists’ “dissent” and outrage over Trump administration policies “that undermine the NIH mission, waste public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe.”
The declaration points to canceled studies, including work on the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 and climate change-related health impacts.
“Ending a $5 million research study when it is 80% complete does not save $1 million,” the declaration states, “it wastes $4 million.”
Along with the 92 named signatories, more than 250 scientists at the NIH signed the declaration anonymously. “We include anonymous signers and speak for countless others at NIH,” the letter concluded, “who share our concerns but who — due to a culture of fear and suppression created by this Administration — chose not to sign their names for fear of retaliation.”
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The declaration was delivered to NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya on Monday. Bhattacharya said the declaration “has some fundamental misconceptions about the policy directions the NIH has taken in recent months.”
“Nevertheless,” he continued, “respectful dissent in science is productive. We all want the NIH to succeed.”
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