3 Perspectives on Medical Research Funding Cuts

The calendar year of 2025 has brought many new challenges to the clinical research industry. Earlier in the year, several key executive orders issued by President Donald J. Trump put the industry at a crossroads. In addition to scaling back on diversity initiatives, President Trump took steps to cut funding for medical research, which has greatly impacted clinical trials conducted by academic institutions.

In February, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a cut of “indirect expenses” in its funding for research grants. According to TIME, the NIH awards approximately $30 billion in grants each year. Further, indirect costs can range from nearly 30% to 70% of a research grant.

In a video interview with Applied Clinical Trials, Ron Lanton, partner, Lanton Law, said:“Things have definitely changed. I think that funding is now the biggest issue regarding the future of research. People need to get used to the idea of shifting from relying on federal grants for funding to exploring other possible sources.”

In light of these challenges posed by the current administration, Applied Clinical Trials (ACT)has spoken with several leaders in the clinical research industry to gain insight. In this slideshow, Lanton, along with Craig Lipset, co-chair, Decentralized Trials & Research Alliance (DTRA), and Iddo Peleg, CEO and co-founder at Yonalink, each share their thoughts on the medical research funding cuts and how the industry can effectively move forward with them still in place.