UPDATE: A shocking proposal from the Trump administration aims to cut the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget by 44%, slashing it from $47 billion to an unprecedented low. Medical research leaders in Oklahoma are raising alarms over the severe implications this could have on vital health research.
Dr. Andrew Weyrich, President of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), stated, “I’ve been in this for 40 some years and I’ve never seen anything like this.” The proposed budget cuts come at a time when OMRF is already facing a significant decline in funding, receiving less than half of the financial support compared to the same period last year.
As of now, OMRF has reported under $12 million in funding through the first five months of 2025, compared to over $24 million during the same timeframe in 2024. This drastic reduction is largely attributed to federal cuts and staffing issues that have delayed essential research initiatives.
Weyrich emphasized the potential fallout: “Our ability to recruit new investigators here, our ability to give them support that they need so that they can get the research done is going to be significantly hampered.” This cut could stifle groundbreaking advancements in treatments for diseases, including immunotherapy and hypertension, which have so far flourished under NIH funding.
The OMRF has collaborated with the NIH since the 1950s, with about 40% of its funding coming from this critical source. “The idea is that you make discoveries at the bench that will then get to the bedside, that will impact people,” Dr. Weyrich added, expressing hope for bipartisan support to avert these cuts.
As the proposal has yet to be finalized, OMRF is actively engaging with congressional leaders to combat this alarming trend. The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology has also voiced its concerns to congressional representatives, urging immediate action.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. If these cuts are enacted, they would represent a catastrophic shift in the landscape of medical research, jeopardizing lives and halting progress in life-saving advancements.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as OMRF and other organizations continue to advocate for necessary funding to support crucial health research.