Federal Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order Against NIH’s Directive to Slash Funding for Cutting-Edge Medical Research at Every U.S. Research Institution

Salem, OR – Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield applauds a federal judge’s swift action in issuing temporary restraining order (TRO) against the National Institutes of Health (NIH), barring its attempt to unilaterally cut billions in funding for biomedical and public health research.

“This legal victory underscores the importance of holding federal agencies accountable when their actions threaten the well-being of our communities,” said Rayfield. “The NIH’s proposed cuts would have undermined decades of progress, stifled innovation and most importantly – would have harmed people who count on lifesaving science for quality healthcare. The health and safety of our communities depend on this research.”

The TRO comes less than six hours after Rayfield and a coalition of 21 other attorneys general sued the Trump administration for violating laws that preserve NIH grants for medical research against arbitrary and unilateral cuts. The TRO stops the NIH from taking any steps to implement or enforce their attempted across-the-board reduction in research grants within the Plaintiff states until a further order is made by the Court.

A hearing has been scheduled in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts on Friday, February 21 at 10 a.m. More information about the multi state lawsuit can be found here.