The Tide of Accountability is Finally Rolling In
14 hours ago Charles Rotter 27 Comments
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00231-yWhat a spectacle! As the Trump administration reclaims the reins of power, the scientific elite are reacting with utter dismay to policies that prioritize accountability, budgetary discipline, and a reevaluation of priorities. Judging by the tone of despair emanating from recent articles, you’d think the very foundation of science had crumbled underfoot. But make no mistake—this isn’t the death of science; it’s the birth of overdue reform.
In an unprecedented move, research-grant reviews have been suspended indefinitely at the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00231-yBoth Nature and Science magazine lament the “unprecedented” decisions to halt NIH grant-review meetings, travel, and non-emergency communications. A chorus of voices within the research community describes these measures as “devastating,” “unfair,” and even a “cataclysm.” What’s actually happening? The Trump administration is simply pressing the pause button to evaluate how $47 billion of taxpayer money is being spent by the NIH.
Gone are the days of unchecked spending and ideological pet projects masquerading as science. The NIH’s controversial diversity initiatives, which critics argue prioritize optics over merit, have disappeared from the agency’s website overnight.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/01/24/the-tide-of-accountability-is-finally-rolling-in/
