In a bold move, over 340 scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have come together to sign the Bethesda Declaration, a document aimed at resisting recent cutbacks and policy changes imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump.
The declaration was directed to NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, calling upon him to safeguard the mission and integrity of the agency in the face of what they argue is political interference.
The scientists allege that under Bhattacharya’s leadership, the Trump administration has forced the NIH to prioritize politics over academic freedom, resulting in detrimental consequences for vital research.
The Bethesda Declaration specifically criticizes decisions to stigmatize studies on health disparities, limit research on COVID-19 and long COVID, and neglect pressing medical issues tied to climate change, gender, and intersex individuals.
In their appeal, the scientists made it clear that they oppose administrative policies that not only undermine the NIH’s mission but also waste taxpayer resources and jeopardize public health
“For staff across the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we dissent to administration policies that undermine the NIH mission, waste public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe,” the declaration states.
The declaration reflects a growing climate of fear among NIH employees, many of whom feel unable to speak out against the administration for fear of retribution.
Jenna Norton, a program officer at the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and one of the lead organizers of the declaration, emphasized the risks of silence.
“Standing up in this way is a risk, but I am much more worried about the risks of not speaking up,” she said.
According to Norton, failing to speak out allows for continued harm to research participants and public health, while also permitting the government to suppress free speech, which she identifies as a core American value.
In response to the growing concerns raised by the Bethesda Declaration, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya acknowledged the scientists’ perspectives but expressed that they were based on misunderstandings regarding the agency’s recent policy directions.
“The Bethesda Declaration has some fundamental misconceptions about the policy directions the NIH has taken in recent months, including the continuing support of the NIH for international collaboration,” Bhattacharya noted.
He added that while he values respectful dissent in science, all stakeholders share the same goal of wanting to see the NIH succeed.
However, many scientists are grappling with a profound sense of despair at the NIH, which is recognized as the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research.
Sarah Kobrin, who has spent over 21 years at the National Cancer Institute, described the environment at the NIH as a “horror show,” stating that employees feel as if they are under constant attack.
“It’s a horror show. We’re under attack in every way all the time,” Kobrin lamented. “We’re told we’re worthless. We’re told we’re cheats. This is probably the most stressful period of my entire life.”
She characterized the current situation as a series of “a thousand cuts” and claimed that many vital components of the organization may be irreparably damaged.
In a striking statement, Ian Morgan, a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Genomic Medicine, articulated the dire implications of the current state of research.
“This is an extinction-level event for biomedical research and global public health, and it’s just wrong not to say something and not to try to right this ship,” Morgan declared.
The Bethesda Declaration has garnered widespread support, with more than 40 external scientists, including 21 Nobel laureates, signing a separate letter backing its claims.
Following the document’s public release, over 500 scientists signed a letter supporting the Bethesda Declaration, indicating a significant outpouring of concern from the scientific community.
The letter commended the NIH staff who had taken a stand, emphasizing the importance of academic freedom and the need for the organization to return to its essential mission, free from political agendas.
“We urge NIH and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leadership to work with NIH staff to return the NIH to its mission and to abandon the strategy of using NIH as a tool for achieving political goals unrelated to that mission,” the letter stated.
Former NIH researcher Jeremy Berg, who led the National Institute of General Medical Sciences from 2003 to 2011, praised the signatories of the Bethesda Declaration for their courage and commitment to their cause.
“I think they’ve touched on a lot of important points,” Berg said. “And I think they’re very brave to stand up for themselves and for many many many of their colleagues at NIH and for themselves and for the entire country.”
Berg expressed that the situation was tremendously damaging, asserting that it threatens not only the United States’ ability to conduct research but also its economic competitiveness and global standing.
As the situation unfolds, the Bethesda Declaration represents a potent reminder of the ongoing struggle over the role of science in public policy and the imperative to protect academic freedom, particularly in turbulent political times.
image source from：https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/06/09/nx-s1-5425466/nih-research-freedom-bethesda-declaration
