Nordic Life Science 1
“Cuts to both dollars and people will set the sci
ences back by years. Many research projects have been terminated, and new ones are not happening.” LINDA S. BIRNBAUM All eyes now are on the NIH budget for 2026 – the Trump administration has proposed a 40 percent cut to Congress. consistently gone up at least from the private sector. I invest my own capital in life sciences.” A disaster to public health Nevertheless, the news is unsettling to the industry. Published reports say the CDC is expected to dismiss approximately 2,400 employees, representing about 18 percent of the staff, a move which is connected to reductions at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The US withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) also set off alarm bells across the scientific community. “I think it’s a disaster for public health throughout the world,” says Dr. Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., scientist emeritus and former director of the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program and currently a Scholar in Residence at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. Domestically, budget reductions to public health agencies could put the nation at risk in the event of another global health crisis. “We will not be prepared and will not be able to respond effectively, leading to increased disease and death,” according to Birnbaum. Job overseas Some also fear that the cuts announced so far and any further reductions could drive scientific talent out of the US and make it nearly impossible to recruit outstanding scientists. And overseas researchers are taking notice. Academics from the University of Oslo expect to see large numbers of US scientists and students looking for new homes and urged the Minister of Research and Higher Education to move quickly to recruit them, even asking Norway’s parliament to consider waiving tuition fees for students from the US and fast-tracking hiring for scientists. Reductions in funding to research projects and personnel at institutions such as the NIH, FDA, and CDC could have a severe impact on the US scientific capabilities, Birnbaum says. “Cuts to both dollars and people will set the sciences back by years,” she adds. “Many research projects have been terminated, and new ones are not happening.” Many American scientists already are looking for jobs overseas, Birnbaum says, and researchers from other countries are in no rush to move to the US. “Given the current Linda S. Birnbaum, scientist emeritus and former director of the US NIEHS and currently a Scholar in Residence at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. political situation, many foreign scientists are deciding not to come because of visa problems,” Birnbaum says. NLS 30 | NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG THE CHANGING WORLD // USA PHOTO NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH/WIKIPEDIA