Impacts of the 2024 change in US government on ME/CFS and Long Covid

The Atlantic: 'The NIH’s Grant Terminations Are ‘Utter and Complete Chaos’

'The Trump administration is rapidly canceling hundreds of grants, in the most aggressive attack yet on American science'

One NIH official put it more bluntly: “It is such utter and complete chaos.”

"The environment at the agency has become suffocatingly toxic. “People are being screamed at, bullied, harassed..."

 

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/nih-grants-mrna-vaccines-trump-administration-hhs-rfk/

Scientists Say NIH Officials Told Them To Scrub mRNA References on Grants

The mRNA technology is under study at the NIH for prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, including flu and AIDS, and also cancer. It was deployed in the development of covid-19 vaccines credited with saving 3 million lives in the U.S. alone — an accomplishment President Donald Trump bragged about in his first term.

A scientist at a biomedical research center in Philadelphia wrote to a colleague, in an email reviewed by KFF Health News, that a project officer at NIH had “flagged our pending grant as having an mRNA vaccine component.”

“It’s still unclear whether mRNA vaccine grants will be canceled,” the scientist added.

NIH officials also told a senior NIH-funded vaccine scientist in New York state, who does not conduct mRNA vaccine research but described its efficacy in previous grant applications, that all references to mRNA vaccines should be scrubbed from future applications.

Scientists relayed their experiences on the condition of anonymity for fear of professional retaliation by the Trump administration.

A senior official at the National Cancer Institute confirmed that NIH acting Director Matthew Memoli sent an email across the NIH instructing that any grants, contracts, or collaborations involving mRNA vaccines be reported up the chain to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s office and the White House.

Memoli sent a similar message ahead of the agency canceling other research, such as studies of vaccine hesitancy.

Memoli’s email on that topic bluntly stated that NIH was not interested in learning why people shun vaccines or in exploring ways to “improve vaccine interest and commitment.”

More at link: https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/nih-grants-mrna-vaccines-trump-administration-hhs-rfk/

 

https://www.statnews.com/2025/03/19...c-fatigue-syndrome-columbia-program-shutdown/

ME/CFS research program shuts down at Columbia after Trump cuts

Not good
https://twitter.com/user/status/1902415822494023878


NEW: Cuts to Columbia University funding have shuttered a prominent research center into ME/CFS, a debilitating condition with no FDA approved treatments. It's a gut punch to a community that for years has been frustrated by a lack of funding. Developing..

 

There are ironies in there that beggar belief and which one could not possibly refer to.
There is no doubt that something is falling apart. Exactly what it is I am not so sure.

 

Anyone got a removed paywall link?

 

Also does the post deserve it’s own thread. I feel like it’s pretty big news about the Columbia ME/CFS shutting down.

 

I’m not sure I understand what you mean.

 

That is fortunate.

 

As we sink further and further into this abyss of idiocy, I wonder if the day will come when all masks will be banned for any reason.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/...ytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

‘Chaos and Confusion’ at the Crown Jewel of American Science

Senior scientists at the National Institutes of Health fear that research on conditions like obesity, heart disease and cancer will be undermined by President Trump’s policies.

 

Bluesky post from Jaime S . Not sure how to post the Bluesky things.

Folks, very bad news for #LongCOVID. Deep breath.

29 awarded grants to do with COVID and Long COVID have been rescinded by NIH.

https://www.science.org/content/art...ih-institute-starts-cutting-covid-19-research


Can you fight a grant revocation?

You can, in fact. However, messages to researchers strongly discouraged taking such action.

https://www.science.org/content/art...ih-institute-starts-cutting-covid-19-research

 

https://wapo.st/4c2BMPr

Vaccine skeptic hired to head federal study of immunizations and autism
A long-discredited researcher and vaccine skeptic will conduct a government study on whether vaccines cause autism.

When does this end?

 

It doesn't. This is a profound shift in the culture of public funding of research in the richest nation. There will never be a wholesale switch back to the previous relatively secure position of accademics deciding what is or isn't science, or is or isn't accademic probity. Ownership now lies with political demand and in a country with a huge anti science set of politically motivated beliefs which in turn means the political voice of 'anti science' will have a lasting influence on the culture of science. Health and health research advocacy is going to have to adapt to this cultural change where potentially all illnesses are contested diseases.

 

Technically, yes. but it is pointless. these grants are not coming back, period.

 

I haven't heard yet about the other NIH-funded ME/CFS centers, but I assume they'll all be shut down. Of course, the president has particular animus for Columbia because they rejected his offer to sell them property for $400 million back when, according to the NYT. So maybe others are spared so far.