Federal Judge Issues Nationwide Injunction on NIH Funding Cuts After Multi-State Lawsuit

A federal judge in Massachusetts issued a nationwide temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration's cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding12.

The order came after 22 states, led by Massachusetts, filed a lawsuit challenging the NIH's plan to cap indirect costs for research grants at 15%12.

The NIH's proposed cuts, announced on February 7, 2025, would have taken effect on February 10, potentially saving $4 billion but significantly impacting research institutions14.

Universities and medical centers argue that the cuts would devastate critical public health research and potentially lead to layoffs, disruption of clinical trials, and laboratory closures12.

The lawsuit claims the NIH's action violates federal law, including a 2018 appropriations rider prohibiting changes to indirect cost reimbursement1.

A separate lawsuit was filed by 12 universities and 3 education groups, also seeking injunctive relief from the new NIH policy4.

The temporary restraining order will remain in effect until a hearing scheduled for February 21, 202514.

The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the U.S., having spent over $45 billion on competitive grants in fiscal year 20231.

Critics of the cuts, including some Republican lawmakers, argue that the move could jeopardize critical biomedical research and violate existing appropriations legislation1.

The case highlights the ongoing debate over research funding allocation and the balance between direct research costs and administrative overhead in grant distribution.

Sources:

1. https://www.governing.com/policy/judge-halts-nih-research-cuts-temporarily-after-22-states-sue

2. https://www.axios.com/2025/02/10/states-sue-stop-cuts-to-nih-funding

4. https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/universities-states-sue-nih-over-funding-cuts-federal-judge-temporarily-halts-policy