The Trump administration has canceled more than $800 million in research funding focused on LGBTQ health, terminating hundreds of studies on cancer, HIV, and other diseases affecting sexual and gender minority populations. According to an analysis by The New York Times, 323 of 669 grants terminated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) were tied to LGBTQ health research.
In termination letters sent to researchers, the NIH stated that LGBTQ-focused work "no longer effectuates agency priorities" and criticized some projects for being based on "gender identity" or "amorphous equity objectives."
Major Research Projects Terminated
Among the halted research was a $41 million project at Florida State University aimed at preventing HIV in young people—a demographic that accounts for approximately 20% of new HIV infections annually in the United States.
The cuts have particularly impacted HIV research, with several grants pulled from the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network, which helped develop PrEP, a medication that prevents HIV infection. Ongoing trials testing new HIV prevention tools and combination therapies have been stopped mid-research.
Dr. Matthew Spinelli, an infectious disease researcher at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), reported that his study testing doxycycline to prevent sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia was terminated despite having already enrolled participants and purchased thousands of medication doses.
"We're stopping things that are preventing suicide and preventing sexual violence," said Katie Edwards, a University of Michigan researcher who lost funding for six studies, including one testing online mentoring to prevent self-harm and depression in transgender teens.
Widespread Impact on Research Community
The funding cuts have forced many LGBTQ-focused laboratories to lay off staff and halt clinical trials. Simon Rosser, a University of Minnesota professor whose lab was studying cancer in LGBTQ populations, told The New York Times that the moves have created a hierarchy of patients, with some seen as more worthy than others.
"We now no longer have anywhere studying LGBT cancer in the United States," Rosser said. "When you decide to cancel all the grants on sexual minorities, you really slow down scientific discovery, for everyone. It's a loss of a whole generation of science."
Political Context and Pushback
The research terminations align with President Trump's broader proposal to cut the NIH's overall budget from $48 billion to $27 billion, citing what he called the agency's efforts to promote "radical gender ideology."
While NIH officials maintain they are focusing on "gold-standard, evidence-based science," researchers and critics argue the cuts are politically motivated and will weaken healthcare for a group that comprises nearly 10% of American adults.
Legal Challenges Mounting
Lawsuits from researchers and several states have been filed, claiming that the terminations were made without valid legal justification. Two Harvard Medical School professors have sued the Trump administration after their research was removed from a government website.
The cancellations represent a significant setback for public health research focused on sexual and gender minorities, potentially reversing years of progress in understanding and addressing health disparities affecting these communities.
