Animal research has driven major medical advances, from vaccines to cancer immunotherapies. Together with NAMs, it forms an integrated ecosystem that strengthens confidence in findings and accelerates safe, effective, and ethical medical innovations. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4p0MGuD

According to a report in Science, CDC scientists have been directed to phase out all monkey research, affecting about 200 macaques. This would be the first in-house nonhuman primate program ended by a U.S. agency since NIH retired its research chimpanzees ten years ago. https://bit.ly/3KgQLLX

After nearly six weeks of shutdown, the Senate has passed a bill to reopen the government and provide full funding through the end of January. We at PRIM&R are glad to see the shutdown end and the relief it brings to those who were out of work during this extended period. https://cbsn.ws/4p92YkH

This year, the FDA has experienced major leadership changes and staff turnover. “It is going to kill drug development if you don’t have consistency and transparency,” Replimune CEO Sushil Patel told STAT in a recent article. Read more here: https://bit.ly/47FJU7L

A recent STAT article analyzes the impact of the CDC employee RIFs and rescissions. Read more here: https://www.statnews.com/2025/10/17/cdc-national-center-health-statistics-rif-layoff-impact/

A recent National Academies report, "Simplifying Research Regulations and Policies: Optimizing American Science," highlights seven regulatory areas in federally funded research with redundancies, contradictions, and complexities that could be simplified. Read more: https://bit.ly/46jdAqI

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s advisory committee met last week to discuss vaccination updates. The panel limited MMRV use for children under 4, postponed a vote on newborn hepatitis B shots, and declined to broadly recommend COVID-19 vaccines. Read more: https://bit.ly/4nKXYSG

The AAMC report, "Robust NIH Funding Saves Lives, Strengthens America," warns that proposed 40% NIH cuts could affect patients, slow discoveries, and impact U.S. science. The AAMC calls to restore FY26 funding and let the federal grant process continue without interruption. https://bit.ly/4pR9Gx4

Dr. Susan Monarez, former CDC director, told a Senate committee this morning that the HHS secretary prioritized politics over public health by requiring all CDC policy and personnel decisions to be cleared by political staff, according to CNN. https://cnn.it/4gs3E1D

The House spending panel rejected a 40% NIH cut, keeping its 2026 budget at ~$47B and all 27 institutes intact. ARPA-H would drop 37%, CDC 19%. The bill moves to the full Appropriations Committee Sept. 9 at 5pm EST. PRIM&R will continue to monitor this developing legislation. https://bit.ly/4ghne0b

Former CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, stating: "Parents deserve a CDC they can trust to put children above politics, evidence above ideology and facts above fear." https://on.wsj.com/41Hu1KO

CNN reported today that more than 1,000 current and former employees of the HHS wrote a letter to members of Congress and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., stating that the HHS Secretary's leadership has “put the health of all Americans at risk” and demanding his resignation. https://cnn.it/3HGE9Nb

In our latest episode of Research Ethics Reimagined we explore human challenge studies for shigellosis, examining their role in vaccine development and the ethical considerations of intentionally infecting healthy volunteers. Our guests are Dr. Wilbur H Chen and Jake Eberts. https://apple.co/42do7kD

The NIH recently announced a new research application policy, open for public comment in the Federal Register, titled, "Supporting Fairness and Originality in NIH Research Applications." The notice addresses AI-developed grant applications and application limits. https://bit.ly/3JydfHB

NIH has released its Gold Standard Science Implementation Plan, highlighting key accomplishments and laying out a transparent vision for the future. Read the full statement from NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and access the plan here: https://bit.ly/3JBTsXL

The Supreme Court has ruled 5–4 to allow the administration to cut $783 million in federal research funding, reversing a lower court’s decision. This ruling greenlights the NIH’s termination of grants related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Read more: https://bit.ly/4mxuVlg

Don’t miss PRIM&R’s Federal Public Policy Briefing tomorrow, August 26, 1:00–1:45 PM ET. Naomi Charalambakis, PhD, of Americans for Medical Progress, will discuss NIH’s July 10 funding announcement and its impact on research. Join the conversation: https://education.primr.org/courses/111236

New episode of "Research Ethics Reimagined": We explore community-engaged research and its role in advancing health equity, particularly in cancer care. Our guest: Monica L. Albertie, Director of Research Operations for Community Outreach and Engagement at the @mayocliniccancer.bsky.social

Out today in @jama.com, a joint warning from AEREO, @weareprimr.bsky.social, @aahrpp.bsky.social, and CARE-Q, about how capped indirects and decimation of OHRP risk slowing research and making participants less safe. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

The thing to understand re: OHRP/SACHRP, and so many of the axed programs/people, is that those "outside baseball" have no idea they exist, quietly working in the background to keep the American public safe. When things start to go wrong in research oversight + elsewhere, their absence will be felt.

A joint statement from www.AEREO.org, @weareprimr.bsky.social, @aahrpp.bsky.social, careq.ucsd.edu, calling on the administration to protect + restore OHRP against loss of expert leadership and provide it with the resources needed to ensure public safety + a trustworthy human research enterprise.

The Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections (SACHRP), an essential expert panel that has advised HHS on ethical issues in human health research for nearly 25 years, was disbanded this week, @statnews.com reported.

The drastic policy changes and continuous cutbacks to federal research funding undermine the ability of federal agencies to ensure safety in scientific research. Those providing this oversight are vital to research, which saves and improves lives.

We should be strengthening our public health agencies, not dismantling them. Job cuts at the NIH will hinder scientific research, delay medical breakthroughs, and jeopardize public health and safety by limiting the development of critical health innovations and disease prevention strategies.

Overall, HHS announced 10,000 layoffs Thursday, part of its efforts to eventually slash its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000, according to reports. Cutting the HHS workforce by this magnitude will weaken research oversight.

The massive HHS job cuts announced Thursday will undermine public health and further strain the system responsible for health and safety of our communities. The FDA is losing 3,500 people. The CDC and NIH are, collectively, facing 3,600 job cuts.