The NIH distributes around $35 billion to researchers and universities
The attorneys general of 22 states sued the Trump administration on Monday for cuts to research funding, arguingthe cutswillharm medical research and the health of Americans.
The lawsuit, filed by states including California, Michigan and New York,responds to a sudden decision to cut funding by theNational Institutes of Health, the government agency that distributed$35billion in 2024 to researchers and universities.
On Feb. 7, the NIH said it would cut all reimbursements for "indirect costs" by 15% starting on Feb. 10, which is part of Trump's widespread effort to rapidly slash government spending.
"This change will save more than $4B a year effective immediately," the NIH said.
TheNIH said that $9 billion of the $35 billion it granted in 2024 to researchers and universities was used for "administrative overhead."
But the California attorney general said these"indirect costs" cover biomedical research, like lab, faculty, infrastructureand utility costs.
"The NIH purported to make this cut effective the very next business day," the California attorney general said, "giving universities and institutions no time to plan for the enormous budget gaps they are now facing."
Posted: 2025-02-10 20:53:24
