NIH to cut billions of general expenses in biomedical research

The administration of President Donald Trump has announced that it will reduce billions of dollars of general expenses in subsidies for biomedical research as part of broader measures of cost savings, a measure that some scientists say that scientific advances will suffocate.

In a statement on Friday, the National Health Institutes (NIH) said it would reduce subsidies for “indirect costs” related to research, such as buildings, public services and equipment.

“The United States should have the best medical investigation in the world,” NiH said in his announcement. “Consequently, it is vital to ensure that as many funds as possible are destined for direct scientific research costs instead of administrative general expenses.”

The agency estimated that the cuts, which enter into force on Monday, would save $ 4 billion (£ 3.2 billion).

The NIH said Friday that it would limit that the subsidies of rates pay indirect research costs to 15 percent, half of the current average rate of 30 percent.

Elon Musk – The leader of the newly formed government efficiency department (Doge), an unofficial cost reduction group that Trump has given margin to reduce government spending, said some universities were spending above that 30 by hundred.

“Can you believe that universities with tens of billions in endowments were diverting 60% of research money for ‘general expenses’?” Musk wrote in X. “What a scam!”

Meanwhile, scientists have expressed concern that cuts will affect vital medical research.

The Association of American Medical Colleges said that previous government support for indirect facilities and administrative costs “allows medical investigations to occur.”

The measure “will decrease the investigation capacity of the Nation, slowing down scientific progress and depriving patients, families and communities throughout the country of new treatments, diagnoses and preventive interventions,” the group said in a statement.

Anusha Kalbasi, a main radiation oncologist at Stanford University, who receives subsidies, described the movement as a “disaster beyond belief.”

“Some places have private funds that can use to maintain things for a while, but otherwise, who pays electricity, rent, water and facilities of administrative staff? Dr. Kalbasi told the BBC Persian

The American Council on Education said in a statement that the financing of the subsidy for indirect costs has allowed universities .

The president of the group, Ted Mitchell, told the Washington Post That some laboratories had already begun to close during the weekend in the light of the news.

He said that groups were expected to file a demand on cuts as soon as Monday.

The suggestion to limit the money from the indirect research grant was included in Project 2025, a “wish list” of conservative priorities Written by the group of experts of the Heritage Foundation.

“Congress must limit the indirect cost rate paid to universities so that it does not exceed the lowest rate that a university accepts from a private organization to finance research efforts,” establishes the proposal.