Astonishing Reversal on Cancer Research Funding Freeze

The past few days have been a whirlwind of uncertainty as key decisions surrounding a federal funding freeze have unfolded rapidly. Below, we break down the latest updates, what the freeze originally entailed, its potential impact on cancer patients, and what to expect next.

The Federal Fund Freeze

A federal fund freeze, originally set to take effect on January 28th at 5 p.m. Eastern, caused widespread confusion among the public and panic for those dependent on grants. However, late Tuesday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the freeze until Monday, February 3rd, and on Wednesday, January 29th, the White House rescinded the memo that ordered the temporary pause.  

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had issued a memo stating that the purpose of the freeze is to “provide the administration with time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of funding for those programs consistent with the law and the President’s priorities.” The freeze was described as temporary, but its implications were already being felt.

Programs Impacted by the Freeze

According to the OMB memo, the freeze would have affected “the disbursement of all Federal financial assistance and other relevant agency activities,” including, but not limited to:

• Foreign aid
• Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs
• Gender ideology 
• The Green New Deal
• Federal funds for abortion

One of the most notable programs impacted is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. The NIH hosts more than a thousand clinical trials annually, raising concerns about ongoing research and patient care. 

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is part of the National Institutes of Health and is the largest funder of cancer research, with a budget of around $7 billion. It's estimated that 18 million people in the US live with cancer.

Confusion and anxiety around funding for the NIH, including funding for cancer clinical trials, has been felt throughout our community as they have dealt with all the back and forth.

NIH and Clinical Trials: What You Need to Know

In a clarification obtained by NBC, acting NIH director Dr. Matthew Memoli addressed concerns, stating:

“Clinical trials at NIH or NIH-funded institutions are ongoing. Research participants can continue to participate in clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center and at NIH-funded facilities.”

This would have applied to all studies ongoing before January 20th, 2025. 

He further explained that investigators could still spend money on supplies and cover the costs for research participants to travel to the NIH Clinical Center for treatment. However, funding for new research projects, which Congress approves, was going to be on hold.

Chaos ensued across organizations and on social media following the announcement. The acting administration abruptly paused communications from federal health agencies and suspended all government travel, deepening confusion.

The freeze of funds and suspension of communications and travel left NIH staff members with unanswered questions about their work. Erika Edwards, a medical writer for NBC, reported:

“The directive left NIH staff members with unanswered questions about their work and even whether they’d be able to continue caring for their patients.”

How Could This Affect You as a Blood Cancer Patient?

This freeze would have directly impacted future grants for cancer research. Without grants, new research—including studies on blood cancer—cannot begin. Currently, the NIH awards more than 60,000 grants annually, supporting over 300,000 researchers.

The OMB memo outlined requirements for agencies to submit detailed information on planned programs, projects, or activities through March 15, 2025, with deadlines set for February 7th or February 10th. The OMB was planned to grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

Programs Excluded from the Freeze

Programs providing direct benefits to individual U.S. Citizens, such as Medicare, Social Security, and food stamps, were said not to be included in the freeze. However, reports have emerged of states being unable to access Medicaid funds through the federal portal. The White House attributes this to an unrelated technical issue, stating the portal will be operational soon. 

What’s Next?

Following the reversal of the freeze order, implications remain uncertain. Updates are expected from the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House. This is a breaking, ongoing story.

We are committed to covering any updates impacting our community. Stay up to date with Healthtree News.

Sources: 

• White House rescinds Trump's funding freeze after massive backlash
• White House pauses federal grant, loan other assistance programs | Reuters
• White House defends sweeping pause on grants and loans
• Trump freezes federal grant payments in surprise move
• Trump administration directs widespread pause of federal loans and grants
• After 'confusion' over Trump team's directives, critical NIH research continues
• State Medicaid payments inaccessible amid broader federal funding freeze - POLITICO
• NIH memo addresses ‘confusion’ about restrictions imposed by Trump, easing some concerns | Science