A significant policy shift at the National Institutes of Health affects controversial animal research programs involving gender transition experiments.
As Breitbart News reported, the Trump administration has terminated multiple NIH grants dedicated to transgender experiments on animals, including two Harvard University projects worth over $742,000 combined.
The White Coat Waste Project (WCW), a bipartisan government watchdog, revealed that on March 12, the NIH ended funding for studies involving testosterone therapy in female mice and hormone-mediated wound healing research. These projects were initially approved under Biden's administration and were scheduled to continue through 2029.
One of the terminated grants focused on studying breast cancer risks in "transmasculine" scenarios through experiments where female mice received testosterone treatments and underwent ovarian removal procedures. The $299,940 project aimed to investigate how high testosterone levels affect breast tissue and cancer development.
The second canceled grant, valued at $442,444, examined wound healing differences between sexes. Led by Dr. Devin O'Brien Coon, a specialist in transgender surgeries, the research involved sterilizing female animals, administering hormones, and studying their wound-healing processes.
These terminations align with broader efforts by the Trump administration to reduce government spending on animal experimentation related to gender studies. The total funding cuts now exceed $8 million across nine different grants.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer disclosed that the Biden administration had allocated $241 million for transgender-related animal studies. This revelation emerged during a February committee hearing where WCW Senior Vice President Justin Goodman provided detailed testimony.
WCW's Anthony Bellotti praised the administration's decision to halt the funding. He emphasized that their investigation uncovered numerous active grants requiring further scrutiny and potential termination.
The organization maintains that stopping these experiments serves both fiscal responsibility and animal welfare interests. Their previous investigations have exposed other controversial taxpayer-funded animal experiments.
President Trump addressed these funding cuts during his March 4 congressional speech, specifically mentioning the $8 million spent on transgender mouse experiments. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) subsequently announced the cancellation of several related NIH grants.
The administration's actions have garnered support from various government officials and watchdog groups concerned about both fiscal responsibility and ethical treatment of animals. These decisions reflect a significant shift in research funding priorities under the current administration.
Continued monitoring by organizations like WCW suggests more grant reviews may follow. The impact of these funding cuts on medical research remains a topic of discussion within scientific communities.
The Trump administration, supported by DOGE and the White Coat Waste Project, has taken decisive action against NIH-funded transgender animal experiments. Two Harvard University research projects, worth $742,384 combined, were terminated on March 12, marking a significant shift in government research funding priorities. The decision reflects broader efforts to reduce spending on animal experimentation related to gender studies, with total cuts now exceeding $8 million across nine grants. This development continues to generate discussion about the balance between scientific research needs and ethical considerations in animal experimentation.
