anil oza

Trump's talk of 'bad genes' is rooted in eugenics. Experts explain why it's making a comeback The eugenics movement is taking center stage in the U.S. — both in Trump's rhetoric, and through a rise in race science.

if you want more on how we got here:

www.statnews.com/2024/10/28/e...

Trump has now officially commented on the Sydney Sweeney ad that talks about jeans/genes

On Friday, we wrote about how talk about genetic determinism is becoming more and more common — and mirrors a rise in eugenic ideas in the scientific literature as well as Trump's own rhetoric

Thanks Jeremy. We felt this important to document.

Thank you for reading, and for the support Tim!

Jay Bhattacharya once studied health disparities. As NIH director, he’s allowed such research to wither Jay Bhattacharya’s tenure as NIH director has seen health disparities research swept up in the Trump administration’s attack on DEI

NEW: Massive and confusing inconsistencies at NIH. New director says health disparities research is critical yet grants are being cut left and right. With @aniloza.bsky.social and @ericboodman.bsky.social. (Also my last story for STAT. 😢) www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/n...

Jay Bhattacharya once studied health disparities. As NIH director, he’s allowed such research to wither Jay Bhattacharya’s tenure as NIH director has seen health disparities research swept up in the Trump administration’s attack on DEI

Read our full story at the link below

If you are an NIH staffer or a health equity researcher whose work has been impacted by the administration — i want to hear from you

My signal and email are in my bio — happy to talk off the record and protect your identity

www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/n...

In some cases, even work Bhattacharya has lauded as important has been cut — when asked about this, an HHS spokesperson told us these studies had value but were funded through DEI programs

Photo of Jenna Norton

In one instance, Bhattacharya said researchers shouldn’t study “structural racism” but studying redlining was “legitimate”

At the NIH town hall where he said this, he was confronted by @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social — who told him redlining grants had been canceled

This dissonance between his words and actions has escalated tension at the agency, leading to confrontations with his staff, widespread confusion about what research the agency will fund, and scattered attempts to clarify the record, according to internal memos, a recording of an NIH town hall, and court records reviewed by STAT, as well as interviews with current and former staffers. In one particularly tense internal meeting, an NIH employee directly confronted Bhattacharya, correcting his understanding of grant terminations at the agency he now leads.

Bhattacharya has walked a tightrope on the topic — saying researchers should be able to research race but has also seen the NIH’s work on health disparities be swept up in the Trump admins attack on “DEI”

Jay Bhattacharya once studied health disparities. As NIH director, he’s allowed such research to wither Jay Bhattacharya’s tenure as NIH director has seen health disparities research swept up in the Trump administration’s attack on DEI

NEW STAT special report:

Jay Bhattacharya has researched “vulnerable populations”

But he’s written off some health disparities work as ideological - leaving the nih, researchers, and a federal court confused

W/ @usha.bsky.social & @ericboodman.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/n...

I crunched the numbers on this a week ago and, being charitable and starting the counter 2 weeks after Bhattacharya's first day as director, 1720 grants have been terminated totaling over $1 billion in money withheld (based on the Grant Witness database).

Deeply reported story by @stephaniemlee.bsky.social, on the impact of grant terminations — even for those who have managed to get their awards reinstated

“I do not trust 100 percent,” one researcher said, “that there won’t be another termination.”

not sure we can ask for a better endorsement than this 😅

Inside the fall of Vinay Prasad at the FDA Prasad's departure followed a campaign by a right-wing activist and a controversy over a rare disease drug.

This are busy across hhs…

Read this in depth story by @lizzylawrence.bsky.social with reporting from many of my colleagues on the weekend that preceded Vinay Prasad’s ouster

www.statnews.com/2025/07/30/v...

Trump administration reverses course, lifts pause on NIH grant awards The order applies to the entirety of new and, possibly, ongoing research grant dollars that go to universities and academic medical centers.

Trump administration reverses course, lifts pause on NIH grant awards www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/t... via my @statnews.com colleagues @angusrohan.bsky.social, @mmolteni.bsky.social, and @aniloza.bsky.social

screenshot of STAT's morning rounds newsletter from this morning. body reads "I went to the movies last night, and when I got out, two huge stories had happened. First: Vinay Prasad has suddenly departed from the FDA. Then: the Trump administration has blocked the NIH from awarding any research grants and contracts. And of course, we've got more news below."

subscribe to morning rounds if you want the behind the scenes look at the STAT newsroom ...

Trump administration blocks NIH from awarding any research grants and contracts The order applies to the entirety of new and, possibly, ongoing research grant dollars that go to universities and academic medical centers

Breaking: OMB directs NIH to halt the issuing of grants

W/ @angusrohan.bsky.social & @mmolteni.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/t...

That is right, the brunt of this will be felt the most in the first year but will eventually equalize (assuming no budget cuts are made)

I thought this diagram was helpful (from: www.linkedin.com/posts/harold...)

A quick update re NIH and NSF terminated grant tracking:

Grant Watch has a new name!

We're now called **Grant Witness**

You can find us at grant-witness.us

Please update your bookmarks and spread the word! 🙏

(And no, this wasn't our preference, but trademarks are a thing. 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️)

NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy NIH plans to shrink the share of grant applications it will award for the remainder of the fiscal year, in some cases by more than half.

Last month, I wrote about a new Trump policy requiring NIH to fund multiyear awards upfront, and concerns that it would shrink the number of new grants NIH could support. Those fears are now being realized. From me, @aniloza.bsky.social, & @angusrohan.bsky.social :

www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...

*NCI is on track to fund just 1 in 25 🤦

Basic science publications have been falling for a decade. NIH budget cut would likely accelerate the decline The number of basic science papers published by NIH grant recipients has been falling since 2013, when the agency’s budget was cut by 5%.

Or this, on the hit that basic research will likely take

www.statnews.com/2025/07/21/n...

New analysis predicts sprawling effects of proposed NIH budget cuts Initial analyses of the Trump administration’s proposed NIH cuts neglect key aspects of their long-term economic and health impact, study says.

For some context on the impact this could have, see this story from yesterday on an analysis that suggests the impact of NIH cuts could be much more wide reaching than early reports suggest

www.statnews.com/2025/07/28/n...

NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy NIH plans to shrink the share of grant applications it will award for the remainder of the fiscal year, in some cases by more than half.

By entirely funding more awards up front, the NIH is on track to fund just 1 in 25 applications

Such a payline “would chase a lot of people out of science” former NCI director Ned Sharpless told us 🧪🔬

www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...

Quick writeup of today's ADA celebration and why some folks declined to attend

www.statnews.com/2025/07/28/a...

NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy NIH plans to shrink the share of grant applications it will award for the remainder of the fiscal year, in some cases by more than half.

NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy. At National Cancer Institute, grants will be awarded to only 1 in 25 applicants.

Via @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...

In CA, Access to Top Surgery is Vanishing. One Surgeon Calls it a “Tactical Retreat.” — Assigned As Kaiser Permanente acts to halt access to gender-affirming surgery for minors and young adults, many providers fear for the well-being of patients. Others are defending the decision.

Clinics across the country are ending or limiting gender-affirming care.

Today, Assigned has two stories from opposite sides of the country on the crisis in trans youth care.

First, Kaiser Permanente is ending surgical care through age 19. One surgeon told our reporter it was a "tactical retreat."

New analysis predicts sprawling effects of proposed NIH budget cuts Initial analyses of the Trump administration’s proposed NIH cuts neglect key aspects of their long-term economic and health impact, study says.

Proposed NIH cuts predicted to cause a drop in the US scientific workforce, to reduce support for public health, and to create gaps in scientific knowledge. Story by @aniloza.bsky.social
industryhttps://www.statnews.com/2025/07/28/nih-cuts-new-study-says-long-term-they-will-cost-more-than-saved/

Exclusive | RFK Jr. to Oust Advisory Panel on Cancer Screenings, HIV Prevention Drugs The task force determines which preventive services insurers must cover at no cost to patients.

New exclusive 🗞️

Health secretary RFK Jr. plans to oust the members of an advisory panel that recommends which cancer screenings, HIV drugs and other preventive services insurers must cover at no cost

www.wsj.com/health/healt...

NIH, FDA plan to reduce animal testing draws mixed reactions among scientists As the Trump administration reshapes biomedicine, it wants to change how scientists test drug safety: animal research.

FDA and NIH are moving away from animal testing. Scientists are split on whether that's a good idea, @marissa-russo.bsky.social and I report for @statnews.com after talking with 10+ researchers across academia and biotech.
www.statnews.com/2025/07/25/n...