NIH Agrees to Evaluate Stalled Scientific Grants

NIH agrees to evaluate suspended research grants

TO Dan Vergano edited by Claire Cameron

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has agreed to review hundreds of medical research studies. grant applications after they were suspended under the new Trump administration's diversity restrictions. Terms agreementwhich comes amid an ongoing legal battle over science funding, will lead the NIH to evaluate every grant for scientific merit and ignore anti-diversity orders.

Suspended training applications covered lawsuitwhich was brought against the NIH by scientific organizations including the American Public Health Association and individual scientists, covers topics ranging from Alzheimer's disease research to HIV, minority health and sexual violence.

“I look forward to a fair assessment of my funding proposal,” said plaintiff Nikki Maphis of the University of New Mexico, who studies the aging brain and the effects of Alzheimer's disease and alcohol use. statement.

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Earlier in June, a federal judge ruled that hundreds of cases where NIH grants were terminated were “void” and “illegal” because they violated discrimination laws, but the status of suspended grant applications was left for a separate future decision. Internal NIH guidelines issued by the Trump administration in February and May effectively prohibited funding for research focused on diversity, gender identity or COVID goals. And although the Supreme Court in August rules The judge did not have jurisdiction over the case and refused to uphold the finding that the NIH guidelines were unreasonable and unlawful. The dispute over the terminated grants has since moved to a federal appeals court in Boston, which will continue proceedings in early January. Meanwhile, the new NIH agreement reopens frozen grant applications while the case continues, resolving that side of the dispute.*

“Defendants will complete their review of the applications through NIH's normal scientific review process, without application of the challenged directives,” the agreement states. The judge will monitor their good faith application.

The NIH did not admit to any wrongdoing or commit to funding research under the agreement; he will simply examine them. The NIH declined to comment on the suspended applications in a statement to Scientific Americanstating, “The agency remains committed to supporting rigorous, evidence-based research that improves the health of all Americans.”

Still, while the agreement does not guarantee the research will receive grant funding, science advocates were encouraged by the progress it represents.

“This agreement is important progress for researchers who have been impacted by unlawful government interference in the standard grant review process,” said Colette Delavalla of the science advocacy group. Stand up for science. “I am especially happy for young scientists who have been disproportionately affected.”

*Editor's Note (December 30, 2025): This paragraph was updated after publication to correct the timing of the federal regulation and to clarify the content and timing of the NIH directives.

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