We’re getting a clearer picture, in dollars and cents, of just how much the cuts will impact our research centers in San Diego. NBC 7’s Omari Fleming shows us why medical experts say this isn’t just about the money — it’s also about your health.
For weeks, we've been hearing about possible funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health and how it could impact medical research. Now, the head of one research organization in San Diego was notified of cuts to be made.
For decades, medical researchers at UC San Diego like Dr. Davey Smith have been at the forefront of medical advancements in HIV treatment, such as helping to develop the blockbuster drug Truvada.
“We've been doing HIV research since the very beginning, and every single HIV medication that is currently being used was tested initially at UCSD through clinical trials," explained Smith, who’s the director of infectious diseases at UCSD.
Smith says at least 13 clinical trials focused on HIV-AIDS were paused because of the Trump administration’s funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. The work adds up to about $2.5 million a year in grant money.
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The Trump administration said its cancelling grants tied to programs that it feels are focused on diversity and equity studies.
“We've known for a long time that infectious diseases always hit vulnerable communities first, so a lot of our research is around how to protect those communities because that, in fact, protects all of us," Smith said.
As the president and CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys, Dr. David Brenner is bracing for the possibility of a $25 million hit to his budget if a court order doesn't hold up. That order is keeping the NIH from limiting funding to 15% for indirect costs or overhead expenses that are used to maintain labs and pay support staff.
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“It would be catastrophic,” Brenner said. “We’d have to completely reassess the type of research we did, how many people we can support, how much infrastructure we also have, students, how much money we can spend investing in our students and postdocs."
The cuts won't just cost the medical research centers, says Brenner. With his organization's focus on advancements in treating diseases like Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and cancer, he worries about the impact to Americans’ health.
“Very important research that involves chronic diseases and human health are not going to be funded, and that will be a loss, not just to the San Diego community, but the entire world," Brenner said.
Brenner and other medical experts say making up the funding gap through private donors will be difficult because research doesn't provide a big enough return on investment.
They worry these uncertain times could have a lasting impact in educating future scientists.
“I think it's very difficult now for young people to say that this is a career that they want to pursue,” Brenner said.
“It’s scary and sad at the same time,” Smith said. “If I was a new researcher or a new medical student or resident starting out in my career, I would be thinking twice or three times about going into infectious disease research.”
