Initial analyses of the Trump administration’s proposed National Institutes of Health budget cuts have overlooked key aspects of their long-term economic and health impact, according to a newly released paper, which suggests the effects will be sprawling and ultimately cost the country more than is being saved through the cuts.
The authors point to NIH budget cuts decimating the scientific workforce, diminishing support for public health programs that have increased life expectancy, and creating gaps in scientific knowledge that are not likely to be filled by private industry. The paper, published in JAMA Health Forum, also highlights difficulties researchers have had in quantifying, and communicating, the potential impacts of declining federal support.
