Canadian researchers deprived of American subsidies still in uncertainty

THE NIH are the most important source of financing for biomedical research in the world.

On an annual budget of $ 66 billion CA, the NIH spent in 2023 nearly 60 million in grants for research projects in which Canadian scientists participate. Some research by Canadians is also funded.

In all, 90 Canadian projects were funded by NIH in 2023.

The 1^is May, the NIH indicated by way of press release that they would not grant More grants to American or international projects which include sub -ubventions to foreign entities.

On May 2, the president Donald Trump also recommended to amputate the 2026 budget of NIH of almost $ 25 billion. It is a proposal on which the White House and the Congress must be understood by September 30, the date of the end of the fiscal year.

Jean-Christophe Bélisle-Pipon is an assistant professor at university Simon Fraser (SFU) in the Vancouver region. He works on ethical issues surrounding the use of healthy health intelligence. His research is 95 % funded by the United States.

The research program was completely fundedexplains Jean-Christophe Bélisle-Pipon. There were commitments that had been made for four -year funding which should end in late 2026. It was a total substantial funding of $ 2.4 million CA from NIHwhich covered the work of 18 people in his laboratory.

There is a certain form of frustration that public research can be impacted directly by political decisions.

The research community and I have fallen from the clouds [en voyant] that all this funding could stop in an extremely steep waysays Jean-Christophe Bélisle-Pipon.

It was a very very very surprise in a sense, especially since there was no [signal] who led us to believe that there was a cessation of funding there.

The financing of the research of Jean-Christophe Bélisle-Pipon has not been interrupted for the moment, but he is worried about the future, and the university has recommended that he do not initiate major expenses until further notice.

An impact felt across Canada

In Montreal, John Rioux holds the Canada Research Chair in genetics and genomic medicine. He studies in particular the ways of better diagnosing Crohn’s disease thanks to genetics.

John Rioux worked in prestigious American universities, at WITH and at Harvardand as a Canadian researcher financed three -quarters by the NIHit is affected by the budgetary changes announced in the United States.

We develop long -term projectshe explains. We mainly do projects to identify the causes of illness, and develop approaches to better treat patients. So these are clinical studies that really take years to go up.

Already lost funding

John Rioux says he has already lost part of his funding without prior warning of NIH. If he loses more, he says, There is an immediate impact, because if you want to get money to compensate for the Canadian federal government, it takes 18 to 24 months. If we lose additional funding, our research projects will have to be arrested.

In Canada, the equivalent of NIH is the network of health research institutes (IRSC). It is an independent agency funded by the federalty up to more than $ 1.2 billion CA, for its 2023-2024 budget. Several researchers plan to direct their future requests for funding to IRSC To compensate for the loss of American subsidies.

Researchers could lose their jobs

In the immediate future, the impact could be felt on students researchers who are paid thanks to these subsidies. These are graduate and postdoctoral students who will no longer be employedconfirms Valorie Crooks, assistant vice-president of the search for SFU.

It is potentially the loss of jobs of research professionals, students, trainees, project managers within my laboratory which has 18 peoplespecifies Jean-Christophe Bélisle-Pipon. It is possible that, within 18 months, if I cannot find funding at the same height, it [y ait] A personnel reduction.

We can probably never quantify the losses generated by these cuts.

Many Canadian academics have denounced these changes in American research funding.

The losses will be at the level of knowledge, in terms of the health and well-being of the public. We may only be aware of it in 15 to 25 years. These are whole sections of knowledge that will be deletedconcludes Valorie Crooks.