Funding Reductions Threaten the Future of Medical Innovation

As medical researchers and clinicians, we are concerned about the proposed reductions in funding for the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Energy (DoE), and Department of Defense (DoD) medical research programs. These reductions threaten progress in treatments for cancer as well as neurologic, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, among other conditions.

Federal funding is vital to the development of groundbreaking therapeutic and diagnostic innovations that have transformed the quality of life for millions of patients. Although arguments can be made about the indirect cost rates for federal grants, a blanket cut at the levels proposed will create chaos throughout institutions across the country. Funding indirect costs for NIH, DoE, and DoD grants is crucial to sustaining long-term research infrastructure, including critical laboratory facilities, equipment, and the administrative support needed for efficient program management and federal compliance.

The impact of these cuts would be felt most directly by our future scientific leaders, potentially accelerating the migration of young talent to other industrialized nations. This loss of expertise will critically undermine our nation’s status as a global leader in medical research.

It is imperative that the current levels of funding for the NIH, DoE, and DoD medical research programs are maintained, and grant review meetings are resumed. Delays in the review process and in the disbursement of critical resources would damage or even halt ongoing research projects, jeopardizing vital scientific progress.

For many decades, the United States has been the world leader in medical research. The proposed cuts would not only weaken our international competitiveness but also lead to a generational decline in the advancement of medical knowledge and discovery.

We urge our congressional leaders from both parties to support maintaining the funding to the NIH, DoE, and DoD medical research programs that ensure that American scientists can continue to make discoveries that enhance public health and the well-being of our patients

• © 2025 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.