Don’t cut the NIH budget. Reform the institution instead

The National Institutes of Health commands nearly $50 billion annually — more than the GDP of many nations — and its importance to biomedical research has historically been prized by both political parties.

Since Covid however, the NIH has been criticized for a lack of full transparency and accountability, particularly about the research it was sponsoring in Wuhan, China. While these criticisms were largely about one specific issue (virology), the new administration has doubled down on cutting NIH in numerous ways — cutting the proposed budget by some 40%, cutting grants in progress, and cutting more than 1,000 employees.

In the end, these cuts are likely a bad idea. We all benefit from a well-functioning and well-funded NIH that supports biomedical research looking for cures for cancer,