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Dr. Lucky Tran Profile picture
@luckytran
Feb 8 • 10 tweets • 3 min read • Read on X
The NIH announced it will slash billions of dollars of support to universities and research centers.

This is one of the biggest attacks on science we have ever seen. It could dismantle the biomedical research system, shut down clinical trials, and halt development of treatments.
I can't emphasize enough how disastrous the NIH cuts will be. If implemented as proposed, it could decimate universities and college towns. And it could mean every one of us in the US and around the world will experience shorter and less healthy lives.
This is NOT a drill. The NIH has announced the cuts will take effect Monday.

Do not stay silent. Now is the time to organize your labs, your departments, your campuses, your cities, and push back against this vengeful attempt to destroy science and universities.
Note that legal experts say that there is a law that prohibits NIH from making such cuts without the approval of Congress. Since 2017, the annual spending bill for HHS  — of which NIH is a part — has included language that prohibits changes to indirect cost rates.
Even though legal experts say the NIH can't make these cuts without Congress, and they will likely be challenged in court, the Trump administration has shown they will push things as far as they can, regardless of legality. This is why right now, mass protest is critical.
Quick explainer: The NIH plans to make huge cuts to what's knows as "indirect costs." It's a misleading name, because indirect costs are vital to research.
Direct costs = Researcher salaries, scientific equipment and materials etc.

Indirect costs = Utilities and maintenance for research buildings, administrative staff who help prepare and process grants etc.

All are essential for doing science.
Unlike federal research grants, private foundations often provide little to no support for indirect costs, which is why NIH cuts to indirects costs will be so devastating to research operations everywhere.
Some organizing advice: Do not wait for permission. Contact your colleagues now. Plan a rally in common space at your campus. Have signs + speeches and share videos on social media. Have people call elected officials. Invite media. Get emails to organize bigger follow up events.
Sources:

New York Times: nytimes.com/2025/02/07/us/…

STAT: statnews.com/2025/02/07/nih…

NIH: grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/n…
x.com/NIH/status/188…

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More from @luckytran

Dr. Lucky Tran Profile picture
Jan 23
The Trump admin has cancelled the panels that approve NIH grants, & is banning scientists from communicating with the public, attending conferences, & hiring.

NIH is the world’s largest funder of biomedical research. This will halt discovery of lifesaving treatments. Devastating
The Trump administration’s NIH freezes do not only affect federal science agencies. NIH grants fund research at universities and many other institutions. Halting NIH grant reviews sabotages important scientific research everywhere.
NIH-funded research does not only benefit people in the US. Researchers with NIH grants often collaborate closely with scientists around the world. And the vaccines, drugs, and treatments developed from NIH-funded research help save the lives of many people all over the globe.
Read 8 tweets
Dr. Lucky Tran Profile picture
Jan 22
The censorship begins: According to officials, the Trump administration is instructing health agencies including the CDC, FDA, NIH, and HHS to pause all external communications, such as health advisories, weekly scientific reports, updates to websites and social media posts.
Asking health agencies to pause all external communications is NOT typical protocol for administration changes. Generally website updates, disease case counts, and other typical day-to-day work continues.
In their first term, the Trump administration instructed agencies overseeing environmental policy, such as the EPA, and the Agriculture and Interior departments to cease communicating with the public. In their second term, they appear to be targeting health agencies too.
Read 4 tweets
Dr. Lucky Tran Profile picture
Jan 6
BREAKING: The United States has recorded its first fatal case of H5N1 bird flu.

The death was reported by the Louisiana Department of Health. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds.

ldh.la.gov/news/H5N1-deathLDH reports first U.S. H5N1-related human death Current general public health risk remains low January 06, 2025 The Louisiana Department of Health reports the patient who had been hospitalized with the first human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, in Louisiana and the U.S. has died. The patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds. LDH’s extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases ...
Please note that there still is no evidence of person-to-person transmission, which is why public health departments assess the *current* risk as low to the general public. People who work on poultry or dairy farms are most at risk.
Protective measures you can take include:
- Avoiding sick or dead animals
- Avoiding uncooked food product
- Wearing a well-fitting mask, gloves, and other PPE
- Getting your seasonal flu vaccination (to reduce the risk of coinfection)
Read 4 tweets
Dr. Lucky Tran Profile picture
Nov 14, 2024
As a scientist who is the director of science communication for the medical center of a major university, my advice is:

Please don't rely on an economist who has spread misinformation about COVID to advise you about how to effectively message on public health. Theres a Better Way to Talk About Fluoride, Vaccines and Raw Milk Nov. 13, 2024 By Emily Oster Emily Oster, an economist and the founder of ParentData.org, is the author of "Expecting Better" and "Cribsheet."
Masking Policy Is Incredibly Irrational Right Now Why must only the youngest children wear face coverings? By Emily Oster
Oster's work has been embraced by right-wing think tanks such as the Manhattan Institute and the Cato Institute. Her audience is affluent parents who seek permission to disengage from the social contract and ignore harmful impacts to the working class and people of color.
Here's a horrendous example of COVID misinformation spread by Emily Oster in 2020, which has been proven wrong by research many times since. Please do not listen to any of her advice about public health. Schools Aren’t Super-Spreaders Fears from the summer appear to have been overblown. By Emily Oster
Read 4 tweets
Dr. Lucky Tran Profile picture
Nov 5, 2024
The current admin has failed to adequately address the ongoing and long-term impacts of COVID. They have been rightfully criticized and should continue to be held accountable.

However, a Trump win will make things worse, resulting in many more deaths and people becoming sicker.
Trump will accelerate mask bans, restrict vaccine availability, reduce healthcare access, stop clean air efforts, block Long COVID treatment funding, dismantle health agencies etc.

The outcome of the election will critically impact COVID and public health policy for decades.
Let’s break down a few of these points:
Read 13 tweets
Dr. Lucky Tran Profile picture
Sep 18, 2024
New poll finds half of Americans believe they'll never get COVID again.

The data shows that COVID surges at high levels throughout the year. Denial is one hell of a drug. Half now expect to never get COVID again Q: Which of the following statements most applies to you? l expect that I will get COVID-19 at some point in the future, despite trying to stay as safe as possible: 20% l expect that I will get COVID-19 at some point in the future, so I have gone about my life as normally as I could: 31% I do not expect to get COVID-19 at some point in the future: 49% Source: Ipsos Consumer Tracker, fielded September 4 - September 5, 2024 among 1,081 U.S. adults.
Source: ipsos.com/en-us/half-ame…
What’s tragic is that the CDC’s own study showed that most people are likely to take precautions like wearing a mask when they are alerted that COVID transmission levels are high.

However, most people are unaware of true transmission levels.

This is a public health failure. @CDCgov New in @CDCMMWR: Adults perceiving a high level of #COVID19 community transmission are more likely to take preventive actions, but a low percentage perceived local COVID-19 spread accurately. The more people know, the more likely they are to take action: bit.ly/mm7146a2 pic.x.com/qvkInxlsgs 12:00 PM • November 21, 2022
Read 4 tweets

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