Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, along with 21 other state attorneys general, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) today. The lawsuit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, contests the administration’s move to slash indirect cost reimbursements which support essential biomedical and public health research at various institutions nationwide.
The coalition argues that the cutbacks to the reimbursements, which cover crucial research expenses such as laboratory costs, faculty, infrastructure, and utilities, could threaten the United States’ role as a leader in medical innovation. The reimbursements are typically tailored to each institution’s specific needs and established through a detailed agreement process with the federal government.
The NIH, which is the primary federal funding source for medical research in the U.S., announced an abrupt reduction in indirect cost rates to a flat 15% on February 7, effective the next business day, February 10. This significant cut from the required costs of conducting advanced medical research has left universities and institutions scrambling to address severe impending budget shortfalls.
Maryland, for instance, which receives over $300 million in direct NIH funding for institutions like the University of Maryland Baltimore and the University of Maryland College Park, stands to lose approximately $49.5 million annually in NIH indirect and pass-through funding essential for ongoing research programs.
Attorney General Brown highlighted the dire implications of these cuts, noting the potential delays or cancellations of lifesaving medical discoveries and the adverse effects on state employment and global research leadership.
The lawsuit claims that the NIH’s actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act and contravene a Congressional mandate from President Trump’s first term designed to protect research reimbursements from drastic reductions.
This legal action seeks an immediate court order to halt the Trump administration and NIH from implementing these cuts, safeguarding critical medical research and associated jobs across the country. The attorneys general from states including California, New York, and Michigan, among others, have joined this filing, underscoring the widespread concern over the potential impact of these funding cuts on public health and medical advancement.
