STAT+: Despite transplant referrals, most kidney patients don’t make the waitlist

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant proposal, introduced during the Trump administration, poses a significant threat to health disparities research by potentially disqualifying such work from federal funding. This proposed overhaul aims to grant more power to political appointees in the federal grantmaking process, a move that has alarmed researchers. Specifically, a section within the 412-page proposal is identified by health disparities researchers as the primary concern, potentially hindering the future of their field. The implications of these changes could exacerbate existing health disparities by limiting the research aimed at understanding and addressing them. This development comes at a time when addressing health disparities is increasingly recognized as a critical component of public health policy and medical research.