The NIH has pulled funding to study “vaccine hesitancy”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/03/10/vaccines-nih-rfk-research-canceled/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzQxNTc5MjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzQyOTYxNTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NDE1NzkyMDAsImp0aSI6IjVhNDIzMTNhLWJmNDYtNGIxOS1iZjZmLTg0Nzc0NmJhNDA0ZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9oZWFsdGgvMjAyNS8wMy8xMC92YWNjaW5lcy1uaWgtcmZrLXJlc2VhcmNoLWNhbmNlbGVkLyJ9.1VgdmYbwKef2Eqv9VZphl-jr8CcN9jZ7WUtlX7fhBRQ

My first question is WHY were they funding studies to determine why people do not want to take a vaccine?!?!?! Oh wait, we know, so they could use the data against us when they launch the next “big jab”.

Anywho…..because this is behind a paywall…..sharing the text here.

“National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest sponsor of biomedical research in the United States, announced plans to terminate or limit funding for dozens of grants focused on understanding vaccine hesitancy and strategies to improve vaccine uptake. This decision was detailed in an internal email obtained by *The Washington Post*, titled “required terminations — 3/10/25,” sent by Michelle Bulls, director of the Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration. The email instructed NIH officials to issue termination letters by the end of that day, affecting more than 40 grants nationwide.

The stated reason for the terminations is a shift in NIH funding priorities. The email specified that these grants “do not align with NIH funding priorities related to vaccine hesitancy and/or uptake.” Termination notices were to include language stating: “It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize research activities that focus on gaining scientific knowledge on why individuals are hesitant to be vaccinated and/or explore ways to improve vaccine interest and commitment.” For some grants only partially related to vaccine hesitancy, the NIH offered the option to defund those specific activities while retaining other aspects of the research.

This move comes amid a broader context of public health challenges, including a decline in vaccination rates and a measles outbreak in 2025, with over 200 cases across 12 states and two deaths reported. Measles vaccination rates among U.S. kindergartners have dropped since 2019, partly due to increasing exemptions for medical, religious, or philosophical reasons. Critics, including public health experts, argue that ending this research is ill-timed, as understanding and addressing vaccine hesitancy remains critical to preventing further outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles and potentially COVID-19.

The decision coincides with the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), NIH’s parent agency, under the Trump administration. Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic, has historically promoted misinformation linking vaccines to autism—a claim debunked by extensive scientific research. While it’s unclear if he directly ordered the terminations, his leadership has raised concerns among researchers about political influence on scientific funding. The NIH and HHS have not yet clarified the origin of the directive.

Researchers affected by the cuts, such as Delesha Carpenter from the University of North Carolina, who has studied COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy for three years, expressed alarm. Carpenter told *The Washington Post* that halting such research limits the ability to provide evidence-based information to the public about vaccines. Similarly, Manoj Sharma, a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, emphasized the ongoing need to address vaccine acceptance given the resurgence of preventable diseases.

This shift follows other recent NIH funding changes, including the termination of grants related to transgender health and diversity initiatives, suggesting a broader realignment of research priorities under new leadership. The scientific community has voiced concerns that these cuts could undermine efforts to combat misinformation and bolster public trust in vaccines at a time when such efforts are arguably most needed.

Note: the person complaining is from UNC…..the same UNC who had a big hand in the creation of the Moderna covid shot. Of course they are going to take issue with this!