Louisville Medicine Volume 73, Issue 4 | Página 22

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colon, cervical and lung cancers. This shift towards more advanced disease at diagnosis is likely due to missed or postponed screenings during the pandemic. 4, 5 During the pandemic, we experienced significant drops in cancer screening rates, particularly during the early months. For instance, lung cancer screenings at some institutions dropped to as low as 13 Low Dose CT scans in April 2020, compared to 350-400 monthly before the pandemic. 6 The effects were particularly pronounced in our Appalachian communities, which already face health disparities and limited access to care.

These lessons highlight the need for resilient health care systems, including robust telehealth infrastructure, safe screening protocols and patient education initiatives: none of which can advance without consistent funding.

The long-term implications of this policy are equally concerning. Cancer research is incremental, with each finding building on prior discoveries. A sustained funding gap could disrupt this continuum, delaying breakthroughs and widening disparities between affluent and underserved populations. Concurrently, as other nations maintain their investments, the U. S. risks ceding its leadership in biomedical innovation, potentially diminishing its influence over future therapeutic advancements.

Economically, the NIH’ s impact is substantial. In fiscal year 2024, NIH’ s $ 36.94 billion investment supported over 407,000 jobs and generated $ 94.6 billion in national economic activity. 7 In Kentucky, a $ 234 million allocation yielded 2,815 jobs and $ 607 million in economic output: a return of $ 2.56 per federal dollar invested. Yet, according to ScienceImpacts. org, proposed NIH funding reductions could eliminate 68,000 jobs and $ 16 billion nationwide, with Kentucky facing the loss of 480 research positions and $ 111 million in economic activity. 8 These losses would disproportionately affect states already burdened by high rates of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Despite constituting less than 1 % of the federal budget, NIH funding yields a return exceeding 250 % in economic activity, bolsters biotechnology infrastructure and accelerates medical progress. Kentucky’ s experience demonstrates this multiplier effect, yet the current policy threatens to dismantle these gains. The biomedical research sector, a vital economic driver, faces job losses and reduced activity in regions already grappling with socioeconomic challenges.

In conclusion, the Trump administration’ s policy affecting NIH funding poses a significant threat to cancer research, patient outcomes and U. S. leadership in biomedical science. The impact is especially severe in high-risk underserved areas like Appalachia, where elevated cancer mortality underscores the necessity of continued investment. Restoring funding is imperative to safeguard scientific progress and public health. Policymakers, researchers and stakeholders must advocate decisively to ensure that this critical work endures, as the health of millions, particularly in vulnerable communities, hangs in the balance.

References:

1

Medscape. What Happens When Science Stops?( 2025). https:// www. medscape. com / viewarticle / what-happens-when-science-stops-2025a10003yl

2

NPR. Trump Freezes NIH Funding, Putting Medical Research in Jeopardy( 2025). https:// www. npr. org / sections / shots-health-news / 2025 / 02 / 22 / nx-s1-5305276 / trump-nih-funding-freeze-medical-research

3

Washington Post. Trump Administration Faces Scrutiny Over NIH Funding Cuts( 2025). https:// www. washingtonpost. com / politics / 2025 / 07 / 29 / trump-administration-nih-funding

4

American Cancer Society. COVID-19 and Cancer Research: A Visual Timeline( 2021). https:// www. cancer. org / research / acs-research-news / slideshow-covid-19- and-cancer-research-2021. html

5

Kimmick, G. G., et al. Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Clinical Trials: A Review. PubMed Central( 2023). https:// pmc. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov / articles / PMC10642961

6

Association of Community Cancer Centers. The Long Road to Recovery, Part II: Cancer Screening in the U. S.( 2022). https:// www. accc-cancer. org / acccbuzz / blogpost-template / accc-buzz / 2022 / 01 / 13 / the-long-road-to-recovery-part-ii-cancerscreening-in-the-u. s.-( st.-elizabeth-healthcare-kentucky)

7

United for Medical Research. UMR Research Funding Database. https:// www. unitedformedicalresearch. org

8

SCIMaP – The Science and Community Impacts Mapping Project. https:// www. scienceimpacts. org

Dr. Singh is a hematologist / oncologist at Baptist Health Cancer Center and serves on the board of the Kentucky Society of Clinical Oncology( KYSCO).

20 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE