NASHVILLE – Meharry Medical College has faced a significant setback, losing $2 million in grants intended for HIV research. This loss follows the Trump administration’s decision, which allowed the National Institutes of Health to cut hundreds of millions in funding linked to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Meharry, known as one of the oldest and largest historically Black medical schools in the country, had been focusing these funds on modern HIV research efforts. For years, scientists at Meharry have collaborated with Vanderbilt University and other entities to explore the alarming rates at which HIV/AIDS impacts ethnic minorities. The college was aiming to enhance its capacity for clinical trials and groundbreaking research.
The grant ended in March, and the college had no opportunity to contest the decision. “It’s incredibly disheartening. We had a vision for what this lab could achieve,” stated Vladimir Bahtau, the principal investigator. Bahtau has been a part of the Meharry community for nearly 25 years and played a founding role in establishing the Meharry Center for HIV/AIDS Health Disparities Research.
Despite this setback, Bahtau expressed gratitude for the NIH’s decision to restore some previously frozen funds, which support collaborative research on HIV treatments and vaccines.
The reduction at Meharry is part of a larger trend, with the federal government cutting approximately $783 million in NIH funds across various disease research areas, including cancer and Alzheimer’s. In August, the Supreme Court upheld this decision with a narrow 5-4 ruling.
John Mead from AVAC, an HIV/AIDS prevention nonprofit, described the NIH cuts as “devastating,” indicating that they disrupt crucial efforts aimed at preventing, testing, and treating HIV, both in the U.S. and internationally.
So far, the government has rescinded 191 HIV-specific grants, totaling around $200 million, and suspended over half of aggressive HIV clinical trials. “This funding loss will hinder the long-term growth of infectious disease research,” Mead added, noting that HIV/AIDS funding is particularly susceptible to anti-DEI actions.
Local advocates warn that these federal research cuts will directly impact those living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS. Molly Quinn, a director of an LGBTQ advocacy organization, emphasized, “The message being sent by these federal reductions is clear: there’s a lack of commitment to HIV elimination.”
Meharry and Vanderbilt had established a partnership back in 1999, focusing on education, research, and patient care in the realm of AIDS research, supported by NIH funds for years. In 2003, for instance, they were awarded $2.25 million to establish a dedicated center.
NIH funding has been crucial in setting up the Meharry Center for Meharry Health Disparity Research, which has been instrumental in expanding capabilities for addressing health disparities. The Biden administration’s emphasis on DEI initiatives was supposed to enhance funding distribution to historically underrepresented institutions, yet these efforts now face challenges due to previous policy shifts.
Meharry had been eager to use a $2 million grant, which started in September 2022 but abruptly ended in March before any construction could begin. Despite having spent about $114,000 on preliminary activities, the project was halted when the remaining funds were withdrawn.
Although this grant loss does not directly endanger Meharry’s ongoing HIV/AIDS research, it represents a setback in an effort to draw in more HIV researchers. Bahtau mentioned the lost opportunities for training the next generation of researchers, noting that the envisioned facility would have provided modern lab space and equipment for new investigators.
Further complicating matters, another NIH-supported grant that focuses on health disparities has also concluded, although the NIH succeeded in regaining its funds recently.
Significantly, the PEPFAR program, an international AIDS relief initiative established in 2003, has returned, with Meharry utilizing its funds for various programs aimed at reducing the transmission of HIV from mothers to infants in several African nations.
HIV treatment, while simplified, still presents challenges, particularly in lower-income countries. Bahtau stressed the importance of maintaining vigilance in HIV efforts, highlighting the NIH’s role in major HIV discoveries.
While Meharry’s partner institutions have yet to publicly address these funding cuts, Nashville Cares and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center have remained silent on the issue. Currently, about 20,000 individuals live with HIV in Tennessee, with Memphis noted for its high rates of new infections.
In conclusion, the reductions in federal funding disrupt essential research activities and create uncertainty in timelines for treatment and vaccine development. The urgency remains to find a viable path forward in combating HIV.
