BY DEBORAH BRIGHT
On June 26, the Prebys Foundation hosted an event titled “This Affects All of Us: The Real Impact of Cutting Medical Research Dollars,” featuring a panel of distinguished scientists, medical experts, and advocates. Held at the San Diego Central Library, the event brought to light far-reaching negative consequences of federal funding cuts to medical research.
Since then, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law. For the event’s speakers, it’s no doubt the beginning of a nightmare come true. What follows is a recap of the discussion that ominously foreshadowed what may now begin to come to pass.
Panelists highlighted the impact of government funding cuts across five key areas:
Innovation. Budget cuts to the NIH and other federal agencies will severely hinder the funding of new research ideas, panelists noted. This will stifle innovation, as only existing projects will continue to receive funding, leaving little room for new discoveries.
Diversity. One panelist discussed the importance of studying genetic diversity to understand how different populations are affected by diseases. For example, a specific haplotype among African Americans affects their response to certain drugs. However, due to the lack of funding and focus on diverse populations, African American taxpayers are already not getting fair representation in research focused to treatments specific to them, and this is only going to increase with the mystifying idea that “inclusion is exclusion.”
Economy. Federal funding cuts to science have broad economic implications. San Diego, known for its strength in life sciences and medical research, will face significant job losses across various sectors, affecting roles such as lab technicians, administrative staff, and support services. Not to mention, the United States will struggle to attract the best talent.
Humanity. Panelists shared poignant stories illustrating the real-world consequences of these cuts. One particularly moving story came from a geneticist who recounted the experiences of two boys with a metabolic disorder caused by a B12 vitamin deficiency. One boy, a six-month old baby, presented with daily seizures, hypotonia, and feeding difficulties. Genetic sequencing revealed a metabolic disorder that required vitamin B12. After receiving the vitamin, the boy’s condition improved dramatically. He was able to attend junior kindergarten and eventually no longer needed assistance. By the time he reached kindergarten, he was thriving and indistinguishable from his peers. By contrast, the other boy—a baby with same condition—more recently faced a different fate due to delays in genetic sequencing caused by insufficient funding. It took six months to get him sequenced through standard clinical procedures. By the time he received the necessary vitamin B12, the delay had caused irreversible neurological damage. He will never walk, talk, or live outside of a nursing facility, and will require lifelong care, costing the state millions of dollars annually.
Education. The cuts will also disrupt STEM education and training programs, making it difficult to recruit and retain the next generation of scientists and researchers. This will have long-term effects on the pipeline of talent entering the field. Additionally, the dismantling of the Pell Grant, which provided crucial support for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education in STEM fields, will mean fewer opportunities for these students to enter and contribute to the scientific community. This hits extremely close to home; multiple times in my career I’ve had the privilege of partnering with Project Onramp, which specifically serves students on Pell Grants.
Clearly, the reduction in medical research funding has far-reaching implications. Put simply: No research, no clinical trials, and no clinical trials means no new treatments.
So, what can any of us do about it? I speak for all of the attendees when I say it was a privilege to hear from such a diverse array of experts and participate in an important discussion about the future of medical research and its implications for our community. At the conclusion of the event, resources were provided to enable all of us to advocate for the protection of research funding. Take a moment to review them and consider how you might want to get involved.
Now more than ever, the San Diego Science Writers Association is committed to forging stronger bonds between us—not just as professionals, but as fellow travelers in this crucial field. Let’s come together and transform anxieties into alliances. Join us at our next happy hour on Thursday, July 17.
This blog post was written by SANDSWA board member Deborah Bright and edited by Vy Thai.
SANDSWA 