White House Seeks to Expand Veto Power Over NIH Grants

The White House is reportedly drafting an executive order that would grant Russell Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget, veto power over every individual grant awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This move comes after a contentious White House meeting where NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya attempted to resist the effort to place funding decisions under political control. The NIH is the largest funder of biomedical research, with a $47 billion budget that supports basic biological research, clinical trials, and the biotechnology industry. The administration's move has been confirmed by multiple outlets, including The New York Times and Politico.