The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s largest funder of biomedical research, announced a policy on 1 May banning scientists from directing its funding to international research partners, according to Nature.
public health
Posted inResearch & Developments
Trump Administration Moves to Weaken PFAS Rules
President Donald Trump’s EPA is considering a rule that would weaken regulations limiting chemicals harmful to human health in consumer goods, The Guardian reports.
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of chemicals added to consumer products, oftentimes for their water- and stain-resistant properties. Exposure to PFAS is known to raise the risk of certain cancers, kidney and liver disease, and complications surrounding reproductive health. The chemicals are omnipresent in everyday life and contaminate drinking water across the United States.
Posted inResearch & Developments
1,900 Scientists Warn of “Real Danger” in Open Letter
In an open letter to the American people, more than 1,900 scientists sent an “SOS” that the Trump administration’s actions have “decimated” the nation’s scientific enterprise and censored scientific work. “We see real danger in this moment,” the scientists wrote.
Posted inResearch & Developments
DOGE and GSA Target Mine Safety Office for Cuts
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), which works to protect U.S. miners from injury, illness, and death on the job, is among the latest federal agencies targeted for cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Posted inResearch & Developments
Trump Administration Plans to Fire More Than 1,000 EPA Scientists
The Trump Administration plans to fire more than 1,000 scientists in the EPA’s research arm. The layoffs are part of a “reduction in force” that comes after the agency already fired hundreds of probationary workers. (A federal judge has since ordered that these employees be reinstated, and though the administration has complied, most of the workers have been placed on administrative leave.)
Posted inResearch & Developments
EPA Plans to Close Environmental Justice Offices, Leaving Communities to Face Pollution Alone
Yesterday, news broke that a memo from Lee Zeldin, the new administrator of the EPA, directed the agency to eliminate all offices that focus on environmental justice.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Food Insecurity Is Linked to Heart Disease and Diabetes in the United States
A new study examines the geographic and demographic connections between health and a lack of consistent access to food, finding that this link is particularly strong in the South.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Higher Ozone Levels Tied to Heart Attack Risk
For young adults, air pollution may increase risks of some kinds of heart attacks more than others.
Posted inNews
Crowds Stand Up for Science Across the United States
Funding freezes, firings, and censorship have sent shockwaves through the science community since January. Scientists and supporters are standing up in defense.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
The Interplay of ENSO and Immunity in Infectious Disease Outbreaks
El Niño and La Niña events can affect the spread of infectious diseases including cholera and dengue fever. The effects of some diseases may persist over several years.