Federal judge temporarily blocks National Institutes of Health from cutting research funding in 22 US states News
NIH, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Federal judge temporarily blocks National Institutes of Health from cutting research funding in 22 US states

A US federal judge in Massachusetts issued an order against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Monday, enjoining them from taking any steps to enforce administrative cuts announced Friday.

The order was in response to a complaint filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on behalf of 22 states against the NIH and several individuals in their official capacity, including NIH Acting Director Matthew Memoli. The complaint stated that the action was brought to “protect their states and residents from unlawful action by the National Institutes of Health that will devastate critical public health research at universities and research institutions in the United States.” The plaintiffs claimed that “without relief from NIH’s action, these institutions’ cutting-edge work to cure and treat human disease will grind to a halt.”

On Friday, the NIH announced that it would be limiting “indirect cost rates,” which are related to facilities and administration, in its grants to 15 percent. Defending its new position, the NIH stated, “The United States should have the best medical research in the world. It is accordingly vital to ensure that as many funds as possible go towards direct scientific research costs rather than administrative overhead.” 

In 2023, the NIH spent $35 billion on approximately 50,000 grants to more than 300,000 researchers at more than 2,500 universities, medical schools, and other research institutions across the US. Roughly $26 billion of the allotted funds went to direct research costs, while the rest went to overhead.

Attorney General Nessel discussed the issue on X:

In Michigan, we have over $1.013 billion in NIH grants, $226 million of which would be immediately axed. As you indicated, you know this funding supports life-saving research, research on all kinds of life-threatening public health diseases, viruses, conditions like cancer. And these dangerous proposed cuts are indiscriminate and without purpose.

Nessel went on to discuss the detrimental effect the funding cuts will have on jobs and research projects.

In compliance with the restraining order issued Monday, the defendant’s opposition to the motion is due by Friday, February 14, with a reply from the plaintiffs due by Tuesday, February 18. A hearing is set for Friday, February 21.

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