HHS Screens NIH Grants; NIAID Gag Order; Children’s Health Defense Windfall

All grants approved by the NIH for funding are now going through extra screening at HHS. HHS staffers — who may be political appointees and not subject matter experts — have sometimes asked to make substantive changes to the research. The extra review adds time to distributing research funding, which has already been delayed by other changes. (Science)

The Trump administration has barred officials from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from speaking directly with the World Health Organization. The prohibition was in place during the hantavirus outbreak, and was eased slightly as the Ebola outbreak intensified. (CNN)

Banking heir Timothy Mellon, who was one of the biggest financial backers of President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the 2024 election, gave two large properties in Connecticut to the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, which Kennedy founded. The properties, which span about 300 acres, were recently appraised at $5.5 million. It is not yet clear what Children’s Health Defense will do with them. (New York Times)

At the National Science Foundation (NSF), downsizing of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) means the office can no longer investigate research misconduct. Instead, all allegations of research misconduct received by OIG will be referred to the grantee institution to handle as it sees fit. (Science)

The White House reportedly pushed health officials to re-examine the FDA’s repeated rejections of an advanced melanoma treatment from Replimune. The FDA rejected the treatment in July of last year and again this past April. After the second rejection, company representatives met with the White House, and by the end of May, the FDA was preparing to take another look at the therapy. (Wall Street Journal)

Croatian scientist Predrag Sikiric, MD, PhD, has researched a peptide he named BPC-157 for decades. As it’s become popular among the MAHA movement, the question remains as to whether his work will hold up. (Undark)

At this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting, research presentations have reflected the dizzying growth of China’s biotechnology sector. A growing group of U.S. officials, executives, and doctors have expressed concerns that the drug innovation shift to China poses risks for research as well as American patients and biotech workers. (New York Times)

Meanwhile, a group of bipartisan Michigan lawmakers unveiled a new bill aimed at restricting Chinese biotech. The legislation has the potential to stifle a booming cross-border deals spree between Chinese and American biotech firms. (Endpoints News)