These funding cuts, totaling over $2.4 billion, have severely impacted critical research areas such as HIV prevention, child violence prevention, pregnancy health disparities, and Alzheimer's disease.

Brittany Charlton, an associate professor at Harvard Chan School of Public Health, emphasized that these cuts not only waste taxpayer money but also threaten scientific progress by delaying vital medical discoveries.

The lawsuit alleges that since the Trump administration took office, there has been an 'ideological purge' of NIH grants, particularly targeting projects that address politically sensitive topics like diversity and vaccine hesitancy.

The plaintiffs argue that the terminations violate NIH's established science-based review process and specific congressional mandates aimed at promoting health equity and addressing disparities.

David Super, a constitutional law expert, highlighted that NIH lacks the authority to cancel contracts without adhering to proper legal procedures.

The lawsuit seeks to restore the funding and halt the terminations, claiming that prematurely ending these research projects wastes taxpayer dollars.

Of the funding at risk, $1.3 billion has already been spent on projects that would be rendered wasteful if the cuts are upheld.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the NIH, has not commented on the ongoing litigation.

The lawsuit, filed in Boston's US District Court by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and other plaintiffs, including the American Public Health Association, asserts that NIH violated federal law by failing to provide scientific justification for the cuts.

Legal experts contend that the NIH's actions breach federal administrative and contract laws, as the agency did not provide individualized assessments for the grants that were terminated.

A coalition of scientists and health organizations has filed a lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health (NIH), claiming that recent funding cuts driven by political motivations are illegal and harmful to medical research.

Fenway Health, a significant institution in LGBTQ healthcare research, has also experienced substantial funding cuts affecting studies on HIV prevention and social isolation among older LGBTQ populations.