ASH Statement on Proposed FY27 Budget Cuts to the National Institutes of Health
The proposed 12.3% reduction in funding would impede progress in research for blood disorders
(WASHINGTON—April 3, 2026) – The Trump Administration published details of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request, which includes a proposed cut of $5.787 billion or 12.3% to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These cuts would harm patients, stall research, and put the U.S. behind other nations in leading the development of groundbreaking cures for blood diseases.
Further, the proposal to fund all grants upfront would reduce the total number of grants NIH supports, which would leave important scientific ideas behind, slow the volume of research and ultimately bring fewer discoveries to patients.
NIH has driven decades of scientific breakthroughs that have directly improved the health of Americans, including those with blood disorders. NIH-funded research has improved outcomes for pediatric leukemia, increased the lifespan of sickle cell disease patients, and provided revolutionary treatments in bone marrow transplant and personalized medicine. These cutting-edge therapies have redefined the treatment landscape in hematology and spurred critical advancements across other fields of medicine.
In response to these proposed cuts, Robert Negrin, MD, president of the American Society of Hematology, issued the following statement:
“This budget proposal undermines the future of biomedical research in the United States and ultimately threatens the care of patients and the progress we’ve made in medicine.
Science needs stability to flourish, and these repeated proposals to cut research funding raise questions among scientists and researchers about the future of medical research in this country. Already, we’re seeing promising young investigators turn away from the field. We must protect the future of medicine.
The Administration must work with Congress, healthcare organizations, and the medical community to protect the United States’ commitment to scientific and medical progress. We urge Congress to reject these proposed cuts.”
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) (hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. Since 1958, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. Join the #Fight4Hematology by visiting hematology.org/fight4hematology.
The Blood journals (https://ashpublications.org/journals) are the premier source for basic, translational, and clinical hematologic research. The Blood journals publish more peer-reviewed hematology research than any other academic journals worldwide.
Contact:
Melissa McGue, 202-552-4927
mmcgue@hematology.org