CBC reports that the United States’ recent federal health spending pause and communications freeze is affecting Canadian research labs. The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) had a $47B USD budget last year, $40M USD of which was provided to Canadian researchers. According to CBC, the US government implemented a communications freeze on January 21st, after which key meetings to decide on scientific research funding were cancelled; the NIH website reportedly references unspecified changes affecting “research project grants, fellowships and training grants” made on or after January 25. CBC reports that these changes have left scientists in both countries unsure of how their work will be impacted. Steffanie Strathdee (University of California San Diego) said that the confusion surrounding US funding may provide an opportunity for Canada to attract American scientists or encourage Canadian expat scientists to return.
