Clinical Trials Disrupted: The Impact of Funding Cuts on Medical Research
Nearly 1 in 30 clinical trials were interrupted due to funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), affecting over 74,000 patients and research into cancer, infectious diseases, and more, according to a newly published paper. Clinical trials are the most effective way for researchers to study how medical interventions affect a patient population, and the disruptions have significant implications for the advancement of medical science.
Dr. Anupam B. Jena, a study author and professor at Harvard Medical School, emphasized the importance of clinical trials, stating, “The types of trials that are affected are among the most rigorous way that we generate scientific evidence: randomized clinical trials… Those are the last types of studies we would want to stop mid-stream.” The paper, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that 383 clinical trials were interrupted by the funding cuts, which Jena described as “surprisingly high.”
Consequences of Funding Cuts
The researchers analyzed all clinical trials that received NIH funding between February 28, 2025, and August 15, 2025, and found that more than 36% of the interrupted trials have since been completed. However, 35% were still recruiting patients, and 11% were active but not recruiting. The trials that had their funding interrupted had more expected participants enrolled than those that were not affected. Dr. Céline Gounder, a CBS News medical contributor, warned that the interruptions could lead to “avoidable waste” and impact the future willingness of patients to participate in trials.
The NIH responded to the paper, stating that it strongly rejects the “intentionally misleading portrayal of our grant management process” and accused the researchers of having conflicts of interest. The agency highlighted its ongoing support for over 42,500 active, recruiting, or planned clinical trials across every major disease area. However, former NIH head Dr. Francis Collins emphasized the importance of consistent funding, stating that “every dollar that NIH gave out in 2024 to a grant is estimated to have returned $2.46 just in a year.”
Impact on Medical Research
The funding cuts have significant implications for medical research, particularly in areas such as cancer, infectious diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. The researchers found that trials conducted outside the U.S. were disproportionately affected, and within the United States, the Northeast had the highest rate of interrupted trials. More than 115 trials studying cancer were interrupted, as well as 97 trials that looked at infectious diseases. The disruptions to these trials may lead to delays in the development of new treatments and therapies, ultimately affecting patient outcomes.
The NIH is the largest funder of biomedical research, and the funding cuts are part of a broader effort to downsize the federal government. The agency has canceled over $2 billion in federal research grants and slowed spending, resulting in the loss of 1,300 employees. Thousands of universities and U.S. institutions rely on NIH funding for their research, making the funding cuts a significant concern for the medical research community.
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