New NIH Policy Puts Global Cancer Research at Risk

Tue Oct 21 2025 04:02:41 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

New restrictions on funding foreign research collaborations threaten crucial cancer studies.

A recent policy from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) prevents U.S. scientists from using federal grants to pay foreign collaborators, potentially halting important international cancer research. One affected project aims to identify women at risk for recurrent breast cancer, leveraging partnerships with Danish researchers. The NIH's decision stems from concerns about tracking these sub-award payments, as revealed by reports from the Government Accountability Office. This policy change could jeopardize thousands of international research initiatives critical for advancing medical knowledge and treatment options.

One of the latest policy changes impacting medical research is a restriction by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that bars U.S.-based scientists from allocating federal grant funds to foreign collaborators. This decision has raised alarm, particularly for a study focusing on improving the longevity of women suffering from the most common form of breast cancer. Current research indicates that up to 20% of women with estrogen-driven breast cancer may face serious recurrences even after long periods in remission. By identifying those at risk early, doctors could use existing medications to treat them before a comeback.

Unfortunately, with the new policy in place, this significant research, which involves collaboration with scientists from Denmark, might face termination. The NIH justified the restriction by citing issues with tracking sub-award payments in their databases—a problem previously highlighted in several reports by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Despite implementing stricter monitoring in 2023, NIH officials believe this new policy is necessary. They stated, "This lack of visibility is unacceptable, and is exactly why radical change is needed." The implications of this policy could hinder numerous international studies that have been essential to medical advancements for the benefit of patients in the U.S. and beyond.