Trump Administration Ends $258M HIV Vaccine Program, Drawing Backlash

WORLD NEWS

By Aniket Chakraborty May 31, 2025 Arrow

The NIH-funded initiative was critical to advancing a long-sought HIV vaccine.

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Health officials say the program’s work laid the foundation for multiple trials.

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Researchers were caught off guard as the termination came without scientific explanation.

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The program had aimed to develop next-generation antibodies and vaccine candidates.

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Terminating it risks derailing decades of biomedical progress in fighting HIV.

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Critics say the decision reflects political overreach into science-backed public health efforts.

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With global HIV infections still high, advocates warn this could cost lives.

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NIH insiders expressed concern about long-term damage to the U.S. vaccine pipeline.

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As the backlash grows, many call for urgent reinstatement of the defunded project.

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