The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is no longer funding research projects focused on informing policymakers about public health effects, according to internal documents reviewed by Nature. This shift means fewer grants will support studies evaluating how policies impact human health.
This change marks a significant departure for the world’s largest biomedical research funder. Previously, the NIH supported projects assessing policy impacts, such as firearm regulations and environmental protections. Internal documents now state that policymakers are not considered stakeholders in NIH’s mission, which focuses on empowering groups like patients, healthcare workers, and scientists.
NIH officials say the change has not been formally announced, and there is confusion within the agency about implementation details. Some researchers argue that ignoring policy-related research ignores how social factors shape health. For example, even breakthroughs in medical care can fail if policies prevent access to those in need.
Meredith Matone, a health-services specialist at the University of Pennsylvania, warns that public policy based on outdated evidence risks safety and effectiveness. The NIH did not respond to questions about the change or its reasoning.
In May, political appointees within NIH began flagging and freezing approved grants focused on policy. Some grant applications were sent back to researchers, instructing them to remove terms like “policy” to determine if projects could be saved. Over 3,700 projects funded in the 2025 fiscal year included such terms.
NIH leadership has not shared a rationale for the shift but labeled some proposals as “lobbying,” which violates agency rules. Michael Lauer, a former NIH official, disagrees, stating that assessing policy impacts is science, not lobbying.
Marcia McNutt, former president of the US National Academy of Sciences, worries about growing political influence in grant decisions. She fears this could lead to selective scrutiny of projects based on administration positions.
At recent conferences, NIH director Jayanta Bhattacharya outlined three rules for all NIH research: it must be actionable, rigorous, and “in scope” for mission-relevant stakeholders, which excludes policymakers.