Recent funding reductions to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have taken center stage since February of this year, when the NIH declared a 15 percent limit on indirect costs — a decision that endangers crucial research infrastructure by cutting funds for facilities and administrative assistance essential for the progress of scientific creativity.

Currently, leaked documents exacerbate this dilemma: The Trump administration intends to reduce the NIH’s budget by $20 billion, which constitutes nearly 40 percent of its overall budget. If enacted, this detrimental measure will significantly impact millions of Americans, particularly our nation’s elderly demographic.

The statistics speak for themselves. The Alzheimer’s Association indicates that approximately ~7 million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with 73 percent of these individuals being over 75 years old. Alarmingly, this figure is projected to nearly double by 2050 if no treatments are devised to postpone the onset of this debilitating illness.

Time is of the essence. Without direct action to address the real-world repercussions of these cuts, millions of Americans — across the political spectrum — will endure hardship. As someone who has supported a loved one with Alzheimer’s, I can personally vouch for the emotional and financial strain it inflicts on families and caregivers — a burden that, if overlooked, will lead to increased tension for the American populace and our larger healthcare framework.

Dr. Jim Brewer, head of the NIH-funded neuroscience department and chair of the Department of Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine, reports that 14 of the 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) in the U.S. will exhaust their funding by April 30 due to budget reductions. Consequently, they will be unable to proceed with their research. A lawsuit filed by the University of Washington and other academic institutions claims that funding cuts would result in a $90–110 million deficit for the university and necessitate a reduction in ongoing clinical trials for various conditions, including studies on how air pollution affects AD.

Even more alarming, the same lawsuit incorporates concerns from the University of Massachusetts. Funding is already lagging for a project that could pinpoint a gene crucial for treating AD and other severe neurodegenerative disorders.

With the futures of millions of Americans hanging in the balance, numerous lawmakers on Capitol Hill agree that swiftly restoring the NIH’s ability to pursue a cure for AD should be a bipartisan concern. Even though these issues have largely gone unnoticed by the Trump administration, some Republican legislators recognize the importance of AD research.

In May 2024, Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) expressed to the former NIH director that “Alzheimer’s and dementia-related research must remain a national priority.” Also in 2024, Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) successfully urged President Biden to enact the reauthorization of both the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act (AAIA) and the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), which reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to combating Alzheimer’s with genuine funding and accountability.

The current budget cuts jeopardize the efficacy of these acts. In a February conversation with the Press Herald, Senator Collins stated that she was “adamantly opposed to this arbitrary cap on indirect costs.” Senator Capito’s reaction to the cuts has been less vocal. In a discussion with the Washington Post in February, she remarked on Trump’s budget cuts: “It’s pretty drastic. So I’m thinking we need to look at this.”

By obstructing scientific progress, the U.S. risks forfeiting its position as the global frontrunner in medical research — an accomplishment that experts like Yale’s Dr. Harlan Krumholz take immense pride in.

Ultimately, restoring the NIH’s complete budget transcends politics. It is an American necessity. By rallying around research, the scientific community can protect the 14 ADRCs in jeopardy, maintain essential clinical trials, and uphold the bipartisan momentum behind AAIA and NAPA.

Congress must take action immediately: Curing Alzheimer’s requires urgency, resources, and determination from both parties. The decisions made today will influence the lives of millions in the future.

Tamer Hage, Tejas Sekhar, and Swapna Vaja are medical students.