Medical research in the United States is in danger. President Donald Trump, in his mission to erase diversity, equity and inclusion, is worsening health disparities and the work done meant to reduce the gap in healthcare access and treatment. 

As of March 24, Trump has canceled National Institutes of Health funds meant to go to equity research. The research in question includes work on autism in women, HIV rates in Latino and Black men, and chlamydia rates in Black communities. 

His reasoning for these cuts, that research relating to DEI initiatives to any degree is discriminatory, has far-reaching implications for every single person in America today.

There is no way to sugarcoat the truth: Ccutting funds for public health and medical research targets the most vulnerable populations in the nation. 

HIV diagnoses are especially high in gay and bisexual men, and Black men accounted for the highest infection rates. As of 2023, an estimated 39.9 million people were living with HIV globally, and 630,000 people died that same year from HIV-related causes. 

The U.S. is in the middle of its own HIV crisis; an estimated 1.2 million Americans were living with HIV in 2022. The NIH was forced to terminate funding for dozens of HIV-related research.

Many people, particularly members of sexual and racial minorities, will likely die because of the sudden halt in research. Experts from organizations like the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDs predicted a tenfold increase from the 600,000 HIV/AIDs related deaths in 2023.  

Trump’s cuts don’t just endanger would-be patients, but also future scientists and doctoral researchers. The Ph.D. Project, an organization partnered with 45 of the nation’s top colleges, once allowed underrepresented students to access resources and guidance as they pursued doctoral degrees in business. It is now the target of a federal investigation looking to cut its funding.

USC is not exempt from these research funding cuts; the administration has placed a hiring freeze on staff members in anticipation of federal research fund cuts. Given that in 2024, USC received $569 million in funding designated for federally funded research, these cuts will reduce many labs’ abilities to effectively conduct research and meet their goals.

It is clear that Trump is not afraid to use federal funding as a way to leverage obedience from scientists and other researchers. While writing this article, I was unable to interview anyone because many feared that their labs would be punished with further budget cuts if they spoke out. 

Many pre-Ph.D. students are especially concerned, as having their names attached to an article criticizing research budget cuts could potentially endanger their employment prospects and graduate program acceptances. 

If you think that I’m keeping things vague, you’re absolutely correct. I’m scared that these opportunities will dry up if too much spotlight is shone on them. I don’t want to put anyone at risk, because I know that more damage will be done that way. 

As a first generation pre-med student, I cannot afford to risk what little remains for me and many others trying to become physicians. 

Frankly, I am also concerned about these cuts because I see their effects everywhere. My own research lab, which looks at various sexually transmitted diseases in various populations, is in danger. My principal investigator has already confirmed that our lab has experienced cuts and will most likely continue to experience more, as our topic is not approved by Trump. 

When I interviewed for a medical research internship looking at Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander populations, I was informed that due to budget cuts, available spots had been reduced from 12 seats to nine. 

Trump is playing with the lives of countless people in his arrogance; disguising this research purge as a way to expand equal opportunity is deceitful and speaks to the worrying attitude toward minority populations. If an overhaul is not made soon, more people will die, less scientists will enter the field and research will come to a complete halt. 

Labs cannot keep sacrificing their work to keep Trump happy; the fact that the Trump administration is extorting scientists should alarm everyone. Thousands of people, people that you know and care about, will have their quality of life drastically reduced because of the research cuts. USC must not kowtow to federal demands, and scientists and students should not have to lose everything for Trump’s hatefulness.