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Hi NIH Vigilers and 27 UNIHTED Community,
If you haven’t done so already, VOTE as if our democracy depends on you, because it does! Our first item below highlights how politics and science intersect.
So, how is our research ecosystem faring this week? Here are the highlights:
Vigil “Auntie” News
- The Good -
Documenting the Disruption of Science
An article published last week in The New York Times summarizes the many ways that this administration has undermined the scientific research enterprise since they took office. According to the article, while leadership continues to emphasize that money is still being spent and research is still being done, “beneath the surface, the system of federally funded science that helped make the United States a global superpower is under intense strain from Trump policies, jeopardizing the nation’s advantages in defense, medicine and technology.” The article describes the loss of staff and scientific expertise at key federal agencies, the termination of research grants, and the instability in the US systems created by new policies, all of which are resulting in an opening for other countries, particularly China, to fill the void in scientific leadership. Most of the points the article raises will already be familiar to regular readers of the NIH Vigils Newsletter, but the Times article is remarkable because of how the nation’s premier newspaper brings together many issues to construct a sweeping indictment of the administration’s approach to science. While none of the findings are new, they highlight the intentional agenda of this administration to exert political control over federal funding and ideological control over those who receive it.
FLRA dismisses NIH petition challenging NIH fellows union
In December 2023, fellows at the NIH voted to unionize and, in December 2024, the NIH and the fellows union, UAW 2750 (also known as NIH Fellows United), ratified a collective bargaining agreement that would run through 2027. In March 2026, the NIH backed out of the deal. The NIH’s petition before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) used the argument that fellows are trainees rather than employees and thus should be removed from their bargaining unit. Last week, FLRA ruled that NIH’s petition challenging the composition of the bargaining unit after the completion of the bargaining process was impermissible. The NIH Fellows United president described this petition as “a waste of the public’s money” and hopes the FLRA’s decision will dissuade NIH from further challenges. UAW 2750 represents various young researchers across the NIH campuses, including those in time-limited postbaccalaureate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and research/clinical fellowship programs.
More good news:
Former US Census Bureau directors speak out about proposed changes, adding to a growing list of federal agency dissent letters. They express concern that linking residence to federal tax records will unnecessarily complicate a constitutionally mandated process, resulting in a less-accurate count.
Joshua Weitz, in his personal Substack Science Matters, provides a valuable fact-check of an interview with Michael Kratsios discussing the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) report “Science: A New Golden Age.” Weitz points out that Kratsios’s plan will devalue university research, reduce the federal investment in science, and place political appointees in control of decision making. Weitz believes “the American people are promised outputs without consideration of the processes, researchers, programs, institutions, and culture it takes to retain American leadership in science.”
Citable evidence on the impact of censorship on the research ecosystem has been provided by #DefendResearch and Research Consulting. In their report, “From anecdote to evidence: Mapping the impact of US government action on public health research,” they document the effects of tampering with the research record, conditioning funding, and policing what researchers can say.
An international team of nutrition experts released a food pyramid that looks nothing like the one promoted by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The experts advocate for unsaturated plant oils over animal-based fats, and stress plant foods as the foundation of a healthy diet. Animal foods are included in modest amounts, with poultry and fish emphasized over red meat.
The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) reports hope among infectious disease conference attendees, despite the challenges they continue to face, such as talking to vaccine-hesitant patients. Many attendees were upset about the loss of funding to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the associated estimated 700,000 deaths, as highlighted by author Dr. Atul Gawande in his plenary session address. However, most attendees still find treating infectious disease to be a rewarding profession even though it is one of the lowest paying specialties in medicine. “No one goes into infectious disease for the glory or the money,” said attendee Justin Klucher, “it's entirely because they want to do right by people.”
- The Bad -
Federal employment is down, with African American employment dropping most.
An analysis by The Washington Post has found that about one in every five federal workers has left their job since the start of the Trump administration, leaving the federal workforce with 255,000 fewer employees. Only 32,000 of these were directly fired. Many left in September 2025, taking the administration’s retirement incentive program. After accounting for new hires and reinstatements, the federal workforce decreased by about 12%. Black employment fell about 20%, Hispanic employment fell about 6%, and White employment fell about 4%. Staff whose work focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion were specifically targeted for termination, but make up only a very small fraction of the total loss.
CDC programs exist in a “zombie” state
Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), published an opinion piece on his personal Substack this week about CDC “zombie programs,” in which funds still flow to states and cities as required by Congress, but the program staff have all been fired so no one is managing the effort or is responsible for its success. He gives several examples, such as the smoking prevention campaign, guidance for diagnosing traumatic brain injury in children, the drowning prevention team, and the pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system.
More bad news:
On Wednesday, President Trump eased access to several unproven peptide drugs favored by RFK Jr. and the wellness industry. Scientific staff at the Food and Drug Administration objected, but had little input into the decision.
The Office of Personnel Management is ending the distribution of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. Instead, agencies are told to create and distribute their own surveys. Critics claim this will reduce transparency and make comparing across agencies and comparing current data to past data more difficult.
- The Ugly -
RFK Jr. denigrates Arab contributions to science
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. claimed at a campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, last week that during the last century Arabs made no contributions to science. Obvious counterexamples include Elias Zerhouni, the NIH director from 2002 to 2008; Ahmed Zewail, the winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Moungi Bawendi, winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize for Chemistry; and Omar Yaghi, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Many Arab scientists work at NIH or are funded by NIH. RFK Jr., on the other hand, promotes anti-science conspiracy theories.
Questions continue about HHS approach to “vaccine injury”.
A new HHS rule, set to go into effect in November, will create an additional Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) billing code that will “pay physicians for reporting vaccine injuries.” An op-ed published by CIDRAP explains that RFK Jr.’s recent actions to help people report injuries caused by vaccinations may be flawed. For one thing, a billing code already exists for serious reactions to vaccines, such as anaphylaxis or Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare nerve disorder that causes paralysis. The new billing code, GADV1, would reimburse providers for evaluation of minor non-specific symptoms, such as headache and fatigue, which can be associated with many different causes. According to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the extra payment “could create incentives to misattribute” those symptoms to vaccine injuries. Furthermore, the billing code, unless investigated, becomes a claim of a vaccine-related injury in CMS datasets, potentially falsely elevating these statistics. To ensure vaccine safety and prevent misattribution of symptoms, the federal government currently supports a system called the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, to capture injury reports that are then followed by investigations by CDC staff using a rigorous process with appropriate comparison groups to determine whether a vaccine caused the injury. The new HHS rule also created a new clinic at NIH, which will enroll and evaluate people who believe a vaccine injured them. Unlike the CDC analysis of VAERS reports, the NIH clinic will not identify comparison groups. Without comparison groups, the clinic won’t be able to determine whether a vaccine actually caused the harm, thereby defeating the purpose and raising doubts about the scientific integrity of the center.
More ugly news:
Scientists at CDC sought to use the Health Alert Network to alert clinicians about the rising risk of measles during pregnancy and provide guidance for care. The alert, which requires sign-off from the director’s office, was not approved.
Reflection from the Community
“Scientists are truth seekers. But when you’re building an empire of lies, truth seekers become the enemy.”
-Bob Morris, 911 for Health and Science Rally
Leadership Watch
Jennifer Shuford, the deputy director and chief medical officer of the CDC, is resigning after just four months on the job.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Director, Alicia Jackson, has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation into ethics violations stemming from her and her husband’s ownership of at least three companies that applied for and/or received ARPA-H funding.
Calls to Action
By November 16: Tell the Office of Personnel Management not to shrink your health plan choices, docket OPM-2026-0661, by opposing the proposal to optimize FEHB offerings for the 8.3 million federal employees, retirees, and family members who rely on it.
Impeach Vought campaign has over 4,400 signatures! Add your name to the movement! www.impeachvought.com/
Support 27 UNIHTED. Former NIHers and HHS staff need your support. Take action and volunteer: https://www.27unihted.org/takeaction
Upcoming Events
WCOM State of the Station focuses on State of the Science, November 3 at 1:00 pm ET: Listen to 27 UNIHTED advisor Sylvia Chou and Dr. Sara Jackson of the University of Utah to talk about ongoing censorship to American science, the researchers’ responses, and what it means to fight back through legal actions and beyond. Listen here for an in-depth and personal discussion on “Upholding Scientific Freedom Through Legal Actions and Beyond”!
Rise Up Frederick monthly meeting, November 9, 6:00 pm ET: 27 UNIHTED members will speak at the event being held at Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ Church Community Room, 15 W. Church Street, in downtown Frederick. Street parking and public deck parking available. All are welcome!
Networking for Technical Professionals, November 12, 6:30 pm ET: 27 UNIHTED and FDA Alumni Association are hosting a free networking panel at USP Building, 12601 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852. Food will be provided with support from United States Pharmacopeia. Registration required.
27 UNIHTED / NIH community events
Weekly NIH Vigil every Saturday at 10:00 am ET.
Weekly peer empowerment call every Thursday at 6:00 pm ET.
Wellness Weekly
Our somewhat serious community recommendations for self-care are:
Try pilates.
Scream into the void.
Plan a staycation at a different location.
Take up singing.
Send a thank you postcard to a lawmaker for something productive they accomplished.
Take a dog for a walk.
In solidarity,
27 UNIHTED and NIH Vigils