A federal district court judge in Boston, Judge Angel Kelley, has issued a temporary restraining order that effectively blocks the Trump administration from reducing vital health research grants. This ruling comes in response to legal actions taken by 22 states that sought to prevent the administration from slashing funding.
The cuts, which were hastily imposed by the administration, are now halted in the 22 states involved in the lawsuit. However, they remain in effect in other states pending further legal developments.
Protecting Research Funding
On Friday, the Trump administration announced its intention to cap the additional funding provided to health research grants at 15%, aimed at assisting universities and other grantees in covering their overhead costs. These overhead fees typically add around 27% to the total grant amount, although the exact figures vary widely. Notably, some prominent research institutions like Harvard, Yale, and Johns Hopkins benefit from indirect cost add-ons that exceed 60% of the grant value.
Universities across the nation have voiced strong concerns about the potential impact of these cuts, warning that they could have devastating consequences. Many institutions anticipate having to make difficult decisions such as staff layoffs and significant cutbacks to essential research programs.
Judge Kelley has scheduled further hearings on this case for later this month, indicating that the legal battle over health research funding is far from over.
