Concerned Scientists and Advocates Opposing the Recent NIH Restrictions and RFK Jr.’s Potential Appointment to HHS
January 23rd, 2025
The Honorable [Name]
United States Senate
[Office Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
Subject: Preserving American Leadership in Health and Science: Addressing NIH Restrictions and Opposing RFK Jr.’s Potential Appointment to HHS
Dear [Senator Name],
I’m reaching out on behalf of a community of scientists, researchers, physicians, students, and concerned citizens who are deeply concerned about recent government actions that not only constrain the National Institutes of Health (NIH) but also consider Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Both developments put the future of scientific research and public health in the United States at risk. These are issues that will affect not just us scientists, but the wider community and the American public at large.
Whether we see it in our day-to-day work or whether it impacts our lives, all Americans feel the direct impact of the NIH and its role in advancing medical research. Breakthroughs in treating heart disease, cancer, rare genetic disorders, and other health conditions rely on NIH-funded projects and a collaborative environment. Hiring freezes, stalled grant reviews, and travel bans puts an immediate halt on progress. This can lead to a delay in developing treatments that millions of Americans rely on.
Besides creating new treatments and working on groundbreaking scientific progress, NIH funding is an economic engine for the American economy. A 2023 report by United for Medical Research found that each dollar in NIH funding generates $2.46 in economic activity, contributing a total of $92.9 billion to the U.S. economy and supporting approximately 412,000 jobs nationwide.[1] These jobs are the lifeblood for thousands of Americans and their families where any pause in funding leads to impacts that go beyond the lab.
However, this doesn’t just affect the lab environment. NIH funding helps support thousands of jobs, drives local economies, and leads the charge in improving the healthcare of our communities. NIH funding is heavily relied upon, from small labs and biotech startups to large hospitals and university systems. Here, we see the ripple effects from doctors and scientists to patients and families.
While we subject the NIH to hiring freezes, travel bans, and canceled grant reviews, other nations are accelerating their investments in research and development (R&D). Between 2000 and 2019, China contributed to the growth of worldwide R&D expenditures by 29%, while the US has fallen to 23%.[2] Year after year, we see the United States increasingly risk losing its potential to lead the biomedical sciences, which in turn decreases our ability to influence global health priorities.
The recent executive orders slow our ability to make significant medical progress. Without timely grant reviews, research stalls, and thousands risk unemployment. Without conferences and communication, pivotal collaborations that lead to tomorrow’s breakthroughs never materialize. Restricted funding leads to less job creation and decreased innovation which will affect our healthcare system dramatically.
We are also equally troubled by the possibility of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leading HHS, an agency trusted to protect our nation’s health. Mr. Kennedy’s track record of vaccine misinformation and HIV/AIDS denialism undermines decades of scientific research and achievement. As some of us who are deeply passionate and involved in finding better solutions to understand and treat HIV, we fear that with him leading HHS, our and the American fight to cure HIV/AIDS will be stalled. When public trust in vaccinations is already fragile, having a vaccine skeptic at the helm of HHS will lead to preventable disease outbreaks and risk the rise of another pandemic which will lead to countless avoidable deaths and risk economic decline.
In light of these concerns, we respectfully urge you to:
Protect NIH Operations and Funding
Oppose the Appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to HHS
Reaffirm America’s Commitment to Science and Public Health
From scientists hoping for the next medical breakthrough to patients looking for treatments that will help them live happy and healthy lives, the impact of the NIH and trusted health leadership impacts all Americans. America is the hallmark of scientific progress and innovation and it is in our collective interest to ensure that agencies that shape our healthcare landscape continue to strive towards a healthier America without obstruction.
We appreciate your service and urge you to uphold the integrity of our nation’s health agencies. By rolling back harmful restrictions on the NIH and ensuring we have competent, science-backed leadership at HHS, Congress can show its commitment to a healthier America.
Thank you for your time and for considering our concerns.
Sincerely,
Signatures
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Title/Position: Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): ja1485@georgetown.edu
Title/Position: Neuroscience MD/PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): ccc162@georgetown.edu
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Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): rdt49@georgetown.edu
Title/Position: Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): pt533@georgetown.edu
5. Name: Olivia Perez
Title/Position: Biotechnology MS Student
Institution: Brown University
Email (optional): Olivia_perez@alumni.brown.edu
6. Name: Mikaley Bolden
Title/Position: Lab Manager and Research Assistant
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): mb2694@georgetown.edu
7. Name: Daniel Nguyen
Title/Position: MD Candidate Class of 2027
Institution: University of Virginia
8. Name: Caroline Francescutti
Title/Position: Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): cmf325@georgetown.edu
9. Name: Beth Rispoli
Title/Position: Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): bmr99@georgetown.edu
10. Name: Calyope Ortega
Title/Position: Psychological Sciences MA
Institution: Appstate University
Email (optional): ortegac2@appstate.edu
11. Name: Rafael Jimenez-Faisal
Title/Position: BBA Graduate
Institution: Emory University, Goizueta Business School
12. Name: Scott Litwiler
Title/Position: Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): stl47@georgetown.edu
13. Name: Emily Morrow
Title/Position: Software Designer
Institution: University of Georgia, alumni
Email (optional): emilymorrow75@gmail.com
14. Name: Ann Sofo
Title/Position: Data Scientist
Institution: University of Virginia
Email (optional): als2zmf@virginia.edu
15. Name: Charlotte Roberts
Title/Position: Senior Associate
Institution: USGBC
17. Name: Nina Opem
Title/Position: Medical Student
Institution: VCU School of Medicine
18. Name: Michaela Fisher
Title/Position: Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email: maf330@georgetown.edu
19. Name: Victoria Georgiou
Title/Position: Integrative Neuroscience Master’s Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email: vlg13@georgetown.edu
20. Name: Erin Morrow
Title/Position: Cognitive Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: UCLA
Email: erinmorrow@g.ucla.edu
21. Name: Anita Melon-Abreu
Title/Position: Parent of Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University (Parent)
Email: anitamelon@aol.com
22. Name: Martin Abreu
Title/Position: Clinical Pharmacist
Institution: Walgreens, Memorial Healthcare System Florida
Email: martinmelon@aol.com
23. Name: Juan B. Melon Rivera
Title/Position: Grandparent of Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University (Grandparent)
24. Name: Maria Del Carmen Mercado Acety
Title/Position: Family Member of Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University (Family of Student)
25. Name: Luis Feliciano
Title/Position: Family Member of Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University (Family of Student)
26. Name: Yolanda Feliciano
Title/Position: Family Member of Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University (Family of Student)
27. Name: Yeonwoo Kim
Title/Position: Neuroscience PhD Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): yk773@georgetown.edu
28. Name: Hannah Alexander
Title/Position: Environmental Engineer
Institution: University of Virginia, Alumni
29. Name: Sung Hyun Jamie Lee
Title/Position: Medical Student
Institution: Georgetown University
Email (optional): sjl122@georgetown.edu
30. Name: Kathy Maguire-Zeiss, PhD
Title/Position: Professor & Chair; Director of Neuroscience Graduate Studies
Institution: Georgetown University School of Medicine
31. Name: Connor Lejcher
Title/Position: Chemist
Institution: Creighton University alumnus, Georgetown University (spouse)
Email (optional): calejcher@gmail.com
References
https://www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/reports/
https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20221/u-s-and-global-research-and-development
[1] United for Medical Research. (2024). NIH’s Role in Sustaining the U.S. Economy.
[2] National Science Foundation (NSF). (2022) The State of U.S. Science and Engineering
https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20221/u-s-and-global-research-and-development