The United States government has begun restoring some of the biomedical research grants that were cut earlier this year, reversing part of the significant funding reductions implemented under President Donald Trump’s administration. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acknowledged during a recent Senate committee hearing that the administration had gone too far in slashing research grants, which totaled around $9.5 billion in terminated projects and $2.6 billion in canceled contracts since January 20, 2025.

Bhattacharya, a physician and health economist who left Stanford University to join the administration, stated that he did not take the job to terminate grants but to ensure research advances the health needs of Americans. He has created an appeals process for scientists and laboratories affected by the cuts, and the NIH has already reversed many of these funding reductions.

The cuts had impacted a broad range of research areas, including studies on gender, the health effects of climate change, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. The funding reductions were part of a wider overhaul of the U.S. scientific establishment early in Trump’s second term, which also involved criticism of universities and layoffs of federal scientists.

In a related development, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reversed a decision to eliminate funding for the decades-long Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a major study tracking the health of over 40,000 middle-aged and older women. This reversal was welcomed by scientists who feared losing critical data on women’s health issues such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. The Society for Women’s Health Research praised the decision, emphasizing the importance of the WHI in closing gaps in women’s health research.

These funding restorations come amid ongoing uncertainty and criticism from NIH employees and the scientific community, who had expressed concern that the cuts undermined the agency’s mission and the health of Americans. Over 60 NIH staff members sent an open letter, dubbed the “Bethesda Declaration,” condemning the policies that jeopardized vital research.

In summary, while significant cuts to U.S. medical research funding were initially enacted under the Trump administration, recent moves by NIH leadership and HHS indicate a partial restoration of grants and contracts, reflecting recognition of the essential role of biomedical research in addressing public health challenges.