NIH Funding Cuts Disrupt Over 74,000 Clinical Trials Nationwide

According to a report published on November 17, 2025, the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) funding cuts have had a significant impact on medical research across the United States. The report found that over 74,000 people enrolled in clinical trials have been affected by the funding reductions.

Between the end of February and mid-August 2025, funding ceased for 383 studies that were testing treatments for conditions including cancer, heart disease, and brain disease. Researchers noted that the cuts disproportionately impacted efforts to tackle infectious diseases like the flu, pneumonia, and COVID-19.

The disruption to these clinical trials has had profound consequences. Some patients may have signed up for trials that never began or were delayed, while others lost access to medication or were left with unmonitored medical devices. Additionally, the results of some completed trials may never be published.

Experts warn that the funding cuts could also erode public trust in medical research. Patients who have been affected may be hesitant to participate in future studies, fearing that the funding could be abruptly withdrawn. As one former NIH institute director put it, "Anybody else who's ever approached about a clinical trial could easily feel, 'Why should I be involved in this?'"

The NIH has faced significant budget cuts under the Trump administration, with billions of dollars in research projects being terminated. Challenges to the agency's attempts to cut funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, as well as the so-called indirect costs of medical research, are currently making their way through the courts.