Infectious
disease
specialists
are
sounding
the
alarm
about
a
Trump
administration
plan
to
eliminate
a
clinical
research
unit
at
the
National
Institute
of
Allergy
and
Infectious
Diseases
(NIAID),
and
Democrats
in
Congress
say
the
plan
is
for
the
Pentagon
to
tap
into
the
funds
for
defense
spending.
In
a
joint
statement,
the
Infectious
Diseases
Society
of
America
(IDSA)
and
the
HIV
Medicine
Association
(HIVMA)
said
they
“are
concerned
by
a
notice
released
Aug.
28
by
the
National
Institutes
of
Health
announcing
a
proposed
overhaul
of
the
National
Institute
of
Allergy
and
Infectious
Diseases’
clinical
research
program
with
few
details
and
a
brief
comment
period.
Changes
of
the
magnitude
suggested
deserve
a
lengthier
and
meaningful
opportunity
for
input
from
researchers,
clinicians,
community
partners,
and
other
stakeholders
including
Congress.”
The
notice,
which
spanned
only
two
pages,
noted
that
“the
goal
for
the
reorganization
is
to
abolish
several
offices
and
the
Division
of
Clinical
Research
(DCR)
and
realign
the
clinical
operations
and
oversight
across
multiple
NIAID
components.”
Recent
Capitol
Hill
communications
may
explain
where
any
savings
from
eliminating
the
DCR
would
go.
Sen.
Patty
Murray
(D-Wash.)
issued
a
press
release
Thursday
objecting
to
an
interagency
agreement
—
which
she
said
was
“not
proactively
shared”
with
Congress
—
in
which
the
Department
of
Defense
will
tap
money
allocated
to
NIAID
for
use
in
defense
spending.
“As
if
cancelling
lifesaving
medical
research
and
clinical
trials
and
firing
cancer
researchers
en
masse
were
not
bad
enough,
the
Trump
administration
is
now
trying
to
rob
NIH
of
billions
of
dollars
that
Congress
provided
for
medical
research
so
that
it
can
pad
the
Pentagon’s
budget,”
Murray
said.
“This
outrageous
agreement
must
be
terminated
immediately,
and
we
need
Republicans
in
Congress
to
join
us
in
using
their
power
to
ensure
that
happens.
We
cannot
allow
this
administration
to
shred
patients’
hopes
of
new,
lifesaving
cures
and
treatments
so
that
President
Trump
and
[Defense]
Secretary
[Pete]
Hegseth
can
secretively
fund
their
own
priorities
in
defiance
of
Congress.”
Rep.
Rosa
DeLauro
(D-Conn.)
said
the
funds
had
been
appropriated
for
lifesaving
research
“intended
to
help
Americans
who
are
exposed
to
HIV,
influenza,
tuberculosis,
and
other
deadly
diseases.”
According
to
NIAID’s
website,
the
DCR
“plays
an
integral
role
in
facilitating
the
efficient
and
effective
performance
of
NIAID
research
programs
on
both
the
domestic
and
the
international
level,”
with
responsibilities
including
“oversight
and
management
of
intramural
clinical
research,
program
planning
and
management,
regulatory
monitoring
and
compliance,
statistical
consultation
and
research
methodology,
and
clinical
research
capacity
building.”
In
the
Federal
Register
notice,
which
was
signed
by
NIAID
Acting
Director
John
Powers
III,
MD,
the
agency
said
the
proposed
reorganization
“aims
to
better
align
with
presidential
priorities
and
to
reflect
the
institute’s
updated
vision
and
revised
mission
focus
while
continuing
important
research.”
Interested
parties
could
send
in
comments
on
the
proposed
reorganization
from
Sept.
14-18.
The
notice
gave
this
link
for
more
information,
but,
as
of
Friday,
the
page
that
it
linked
to
just
repeated
the
dates
that
comments
will
be
accepted
and
said
that
additional
information
will
be
available
soon.
With
such
limited
information
to
work
with,
“it
is
difficult
to
comment
on
how
NIAID’s
clinical
research
program
may
be
affected
by
the
proposed
changes,”
HIVMA
Chair
Anna
Person,
MD,
told
MedPage
Today.
“Since
we
have
not
seen
the
proposal,
our
concerns
are
focused
on
the
process
being
used
to
rapidly
advance
a
reorganization
that
involves
abolishing
the
division
and
centers
within
NIAID,
given
there
will
only
be
5
days
to
comment
after
details
are
made
public.
We
believe
NIH
should
be
prioritizing
the
stabilization
of
long-standing
and
vital
research
infrastructure
after
a
year
and
a
half
of
unprecedented
disruptions
and
instability
in
infectious
diseases
research,
including
major
delays
in
clinical
trial
network
renewal
notices.”
NIAID
did
not
respond
by
press
time
to
an
email
seeking
more
details
about
the
reorganization
proposal.
Please
enable
JavaScript
to
view
the