asbmb's RESPONSE TO THE NIH abruptly terminating funding for a years-long project

As you may be aware, the National Institutes of Health abruptly terminated funding for a years-long project studying novel coronaviruses and investigating the sources of emerging diseases. EcoHealth Alliance, the study sponsor for the project, was instructed to stop spending the remaining 2020 grant and all other grant funding has been canceled. 

Suddenly ending a grant early is a highly unusual move for the NIH. The only situations that warrant this action is when there is evidence of scientific misconduct or financial improprieties—neither of which took place in this case.  

The ASBMB invites your organization to sign onto this letter to Dr. Francis Collins calling for an explanation for why funding for this grant was rescinded, and for the independence of peer reviewed science from politically motivated interventions. Your organization can sign onto this letter by clicking here. The opportunity to sign on will remain opened until Friday, May 15, 2020.

Trust in the scientific review process and transparency in the robust peer-review process are both vital. The politicization of science threatens the integrity and success of scientific research by establishing a dangerous precedent of allowing political interference in research funding decisions. The ASBMB urges you to stand with them to prevent interferences like this in much-needed scientific research.

Ben Corb, the public affairs director for ASBMB, recently published an op-ed on this for CNN, which can be found here. If you have any questions, you can contact Ben at [email protected].