Opinion: Ending U.S.-global health research partnerships will cost America
U.S. research on HIV, tuberculosis, Covid-19, mpox, and other fast-moving epidemics is under threat by a hastily announced NIH policy.
Global health threats don’t respect borders — they require strong collaborations and trust across partners. Yet a new policy from the National Institutes of Health blindsided U.S. researchers and could immediately upend the international research collaborations critical for understanding and responding to global health threats.
Most of NIH’s research is conducted through grants awarded to U.S. universities and research institutions. When these projects involve collaborative work overseas, U.S.-based researchers need to establish subcontracts with international partners who have the local expertise and infrastructure needed to carry out the research.
