Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has initiated a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, along with the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The lawsuit is in response to the administration's decision to reduce funds for medical and public health research. Campbell leads a coalition of 21 other attorneys general challenging this move.
The core issue is the administration's decision to cut "indirect cost" reimbursements at research institutions nationwide. These reimbursements are crucial for covering expenses related to biomedical research, such as laboratory, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without these funds, significant medical research efforts in the United States could be adversely affected.
According to Campbell, "Massachusetts is the medical research capital of the country," emphasizing that local universities and institutions play a vital role in saving lives and supporting economic growth. The coalition argues that cutting these reimbursements undermines public health advancements and violates existing agreements negotiated between institutions and the federal government.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts. It follows an announcement by NIH on February 7 about reducing indirect cost rates to 15%, effective February 10. This sudden change leaves universities with little time to adjust their budgets, potentially disrupting clinical trials, research programs, and leading to layoffs.
The coalition claims this action breaches the Administrative Procedure Act. They seek a court order preventing its implementation by citing statutory language from President Trump's first term that prohibits indiscriminate changes to indirect cost reimbursements.
NIH is a key federal funding source for medical research in America. In Fiscal Year 2024 alone, Massachusetts received approximately $3.46 billion from NIH grants supporting numerous projects across various institutions like University of Massachusetts Amherst and Brigham & Women's Hospital.
Attorneys general from states including Illinois, Michigan, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado among others have joined this legal effort alongside Massachusetts.