Trump to Create NIH Funding Board With Veto Power — SkimNews
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- Trump is expected to sign an executive order establishing a board to approve NIH grants, marking a shift from science-based evaluation to political oversight.
- Russell Vought and Jay Bhattacharya are named as key figures in the proposed board, which would require unanimous agreement on funding decisions.
- NIH faces a class-action lawsuit alleging the administration has already censored research by cutting or freezing grants tied to topics like 'equity', 'gender', and 'climate change'.
- White House OMB officials accused the NIH of funding 'woke' initiatives during a Friday meeting, according to people cited by the Washington Post and Politico.
- Department of Health and Human Services has not responded to requests for comment on the reported changes to NIH funding processes.
Why it matters: The NIH awards over $40 billion annually in research funding. Replacing peer review with ideological vetoes risks undermining scientific integrity, redirects public health priorities, and could legally challenge First Amendment protections for academic inquiry—directly impacting researchers, institutions, and future medical advancements.
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