Breakthroughs Blog: NIH

Women’s health remains one of the most underfunded and under-explored areas in health research, despite its profound importance to the lives of women and health outcomes across populations. Today, only about 5 percent of health research and development (R&D) funding worldwide is dedicated to women’s health, and less than one percent of that share supports non-cancer-related conditions, leaving vast gaps in our understanding of conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women. These gaps persist globally, including within the United States, where the National Institutes of Health (NIH) plays a central role in shaping biomedical research priorities. While these disparities remain clear today, meaningful progress has been made in women’s health—particularly in expanding women’s inclusion in research and establishing foundational policies that prioritize sex and gender in science. This March, in recognition of Women’s History Month, we look back at key milestones at NIH that have advanced women’s health research. These achievements not only highlight how far the field has come but also help guide where we need to go next. For decades, women were systematically excluded from clinical research, leading to critical gaps in the knowledge needed to adequately understand, diagnose, and treat diseases and other health challenges faced by women. Women’s symptoms were misunderstood, their risks underestimated, and their health needs too often treated as a secondary, niche issue rather than a scientific imperative.  The women’s rights movement of the 1960s ignited a parallel women’s health movement that forced policymakers and scientists to confront systemic disparities. A pivotal turning point came in 1983, when the Public Health Service Task Force on Women’s Health Issues—established by Assistant Secretary for Health Edward Brandt Jr.—became the first federal initiative focused on increasing women’s inclusion in NIH-funded clinical trials. The Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues echoed that call to action. These were not symbolic gestures, but structural interventions that began reshaping the research enterprise. By 1990, sustained advocacy led to a major advancement: the creation of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH). For the first time, NIH had a dedicated mechanism and leadership to strengthen, coordinate, and champion women’s health research across the agency. Congress codified and strengthened this progress with the 1993 NIH Revitalization Act, which formally established the ORWH into law and, importantly, mandated that women and minorities be included in all NIH-funded clinical research. The latter change was spurred by a group of female members of Congress who recognized deficiencies in NIH’s prior 1986 internal guidelines that urged but did not require that women be included. These landmark policy changes helped transform women’s health from a peripheral cause into a core component of biomedical science, propelling meaningful scientific progress. With the ORWH fully in force, NIH launched additional efforts to improve women’s health research, including the Specialized Centers of Research on Sex Differences. This initiative aimed to accelerate the translation of discoveries about sex differences from basic science into clinical applications, bridging gaps between laboratory research and women’s clinical care. In 2018, the effort evolved into the Specialized Centers of Research Excellence on Sex Difference—a network of research centers dedicated to advancing translational research on the role of sex differences in the health of women. The 2006 NIH Reform Act, further strengthened ORWH by elevating it into the NIH Office of the Director. This shift gave ORWH greater authority to coordinate across institutes and centers, influence research priorities, and ensure women’s health considerations were integrated at the highest levels of decision-making and across the entire R&D continuum. After two decades of building a scientific and policy foundation for better inclusion, NIH took another pivotal step that reshaped the research enterprise: the NIH Policy on Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV). Implemented in 2016, the policy required researchers to factor sex into the design, analysis, and reporting of basic, preclinical, and clinical studies. For years, basic science relied heavily on male cells and male animal models, embedding blind spots at the earliest stages of discovery. By requiring scientists to examine how sex influences health and disease from the outset, NIH strengthened the rigor, reproducibility, and translational value of federally funded research. The policy helps ensure that differences in disease progression, drug metabolism, immune response, and treatment efficacy are identified early before they become costly failures or missed opportunities in product development. By institutionalizing sex-informed research design, SABV signaled a clear shift in practice. Inclusion is not just about who participates in research, but also about how science is conducted.  In parallel, Congress also passed the 2016 21st Century Cure Act that affirmed and enhanced compliance requirements around SABV and required that people of all ages be included in clinical research unless valid scientific reasons existed for exclusion. The policy also established a task force to advance recommendations, knowledge, and guidance around the safe inclusion of pregnant and lactating individuals in clinical trials.  In 2019, NIH published its first comprehensive strategy to advance the health of women, which outlined the agency’s activities and objectives from 2019 through 2023. Though an updated strategy has since been released, this first plan marked an important first step in translating ORWH’s mission into a unified NIH vision with a structured path forward. With input from technical experts and civil society, NIH published its second women’s health strategy. The current plan prioritizes advancing research on women’s health disparities and underscores the importance of basic and translational research in biomedical discovery and innovation. While it addresses other issues, including actions related to the inclusion of women and girls in clinical trials, much of its focus is on early-stage research. As the strategy concludes in 2028, there is an opportunity to build on this foundation by strengthening support for later-stage R&D and addressing priority gaps in health innovations for women. As we mark International Women’s Day, the question is no longer whether women should be included in research, but whether research is delivering the health products that women need. NIH has built the policy architecture to enhance representation, inclusion, coordination, and strategic priority-setting across the research continuum, correcting historical blind spots and reshaping the research enterprise.  Yet inclusion alone does not guarantee innovation. As we look ahead to the future of women’s health research at NIH, continued collaboration will be essential. We encourage NIH to sustain and deepen its engagement with academia, researchers, industry, and civil society as it shapes the next iteration of its women’s health strategy. Building on this dialogue will help ensure priorities reflect both scientific opportunity and real-world need.  GHTC stands ready to partner in shaping what comes next. NIH has made meaningful progress over the past several decades—now is the moment to build on that momentum and work together to drive even greater impact on women’s health in the years ahead. Beyond this strategy, GHTC wants to continue working with Congress to ensure that the progress made at NIH through various avenues is codified into law. By advancing strong, bipartisan policies that strengthen and sustain women’s health research, Congress can protect recent gains and help ensure they deliver lasting impact for patients and communities around the world. As the agency sets its course, we urge decision makers to maintain a strong commitment to women’s health research, including research that advances the development of new priority health technologies for women. The current strategy’s emphasis on foundational and basic science lays critical groundwork for breakthrough products, but translational and later-stage research are equally vital to move promising discoveries across the finish line and into the hands of patients.  This month, and every month, offers an opportunity to reflect on the progress made, the gaps that remain, and the shared responsibility to accelerate a future where investing in and supporting women’s health research is not the exception, but the standard. 

Earlier this week, the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) and partners brought more than 25 innovative global health technologies to Capitol Hill to highlight how US government investments in global health research and development (R&D) are saving lives in the United States and around the world. Each technology displayed—whether a vaccine, diagnostic, drug, device, or nutrition solution— demonstrate how these investments not only protect the world’s most vulnerable people but also strengthen America’s own health security, help prevent pandemics, and fuel high-quality US jobs and economic growth. The exhibit offered a snapshot of a larger story of how the United States is doing well by doing good. Between 2007 and 2022, the US government invested just under $46 billion in global health R&D. These investments helped drive the development of 67 new technologies approved since 1999 for neglected and (non-COVID-19) emerging diseases. At the same time, they created 600,000 new US jobs and yielded knowledge expected to generate more than $255 billion in long-term benefits for the American economy—a six-fold return on investment. This exhibit showcased what’s possible when science, purpose, and smart policy align. Explore the exciting US-backed breakthroughs displayed below. VACCINESSingle-dose vaccines for Sudan and Marburg viruses on the rVSV vaccine platform IAVI, a nonprofit based in New York and New Jersey, is advancing single-dose vaccines for the Sudan and Marburg viruses using the proven rVSV vaccine platform, the same technology behind an Ebola vaccine that has helped contain recent outbreaks. Sudan and Marburg viruses continue to spark deadly, Ebola-like outbreaks, yet no approved vaccines or treatments exist, underscoring the urgency of this work. These vaccine candidates are being developed with critical support from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency at the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Novel oral polio type 2 (nOPV2) vaccine PATH, a nonprofit developer based in Washington state with an office in the District of Columbia, alongside the University of California, San Francisco; the Washington-based Gates Foundation; and global partners, developed nOPV2, a next-generation oral polio vaccine. nOPV2 maintains the same advantages of the original oral vaccine but has been specifically engineered to be less likely to seed vaccine-derived polio outbreaks in communities with low immunization coverage. This breakthrough, which is accelerating global efforts to end polio, also benefitted from critical development support from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Next-generation malaria vaccines PATH and the University of Oxford are developing next-generation malaria vaccines designed to overcome key limitations of the currently available options and help turn the tide of this longstanding global health challenge. This work has received vital US government support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the DoD Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and Naval Medical Research Command. Additional US-based partners, including Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, the Scripps Research Institute in California, and the University of Texas at Austin, alongside a constellation of international collaborators, also played a critical role in advancing this research.DRUGSPretomanid, a novel tuberculosis (TB) drugTB Alliance, a New York-based nonprofit, developed pretomanid, a groundbreaking drug for treating highly drug-resistant TB. As part of a six-month combination regimen, it has drastically reduced treatment duration and complexity for patients compared to previous regimens that required up to 20 or more pills a day—as many as 14,000 total over the course of 18 months or more of treatment. This work was backed by US federal funding from USAID and NIAID and advanced in partnership with a broad coalition of American companies, nonprofits, and universities, including AbbVie Inc. in Illinois, Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally for HIV and Other Infections in the District of Columbia, the Gates Foundation, Harvard University in Massachusetts, Johns Hopkins University, Johnson & Johnson in New Jersey, RTI International in North Carolina, Texas A&M University, the University of Illinois Chicago, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Child-friendly TB medicinesTB continues to infect millions of people worldwide each year, with children facing a heavy burden—an estimated 1.3 million new pediatric cases were reported in 2023. For decades, children with TB were treated with crushed adult pills, a practice that was difficult for caregivers and often led to inconsistent dosing. TB Alliance developed child-friendly TB medicines that are palatable, fast-dissolving in water, and precisely dosed for children, ensuring young patients finally have access to safe, appropriate, and easy-to-administer therapies. This work received vital funding from USAID and was advanced in partnership with other international donors and organizations, as well as US-based partners, including Management Sciences for Health in Virginia and Baylor College of Medicine in Texas.Inhaled oxytocin for the prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage Postpartum hemorrhage, or excessive bleeding after childbirth, is the leading cause of maternal deaths globally. To address this urgent challenge, Monash University has developed an investigational heat-stable, inhaled powder formulation of oxytocin designed to provide the same protection as the injectable gold standard treatment. By eliminating the need for refrigeration and trained providers to administer injections, this innovation could greatly expand access to lifesaving care for mothers in low-resource settings. This work received funding from USAID and support from US-based partners, including the Gates Foundation and Johnson & Johnson, alongside other international collaborators. Monoclonal antibody therapy to prevent and treat Nipah virus (MBP1F5) The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, whose US headquarters are in the District of Columbia, is supporting the development of a monoclonal antibody therapy being advanced by California-based Servare GMP and Mapp Biopharmaceutical to prevent and treat Nipah virus, a highly lethal zoonotic disease with no approved treatments or vaccines. This work received support from the DoD Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense and Uniformed Services University, as well as USAID.Tafenoquine, a single-dose therapy for relapse prevention of P. vivax malaria & long-acting injectable malaria prophylaxisThe Medicines for Malaria Venture and GSK—whose US headquarters are in Pennsylvania— developed tafenoquine, a single-dose treatment to prevent the difficult-to-treat relapses characteristic of Plasmodium vivax malaria. By replacing multi-day regimens, tafenoquine simplifies care for patients and helps malaria-endemic countries accelerate progress toward elimination. Its development received crucial support from USAID, the DoD Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and the US Food and Drug Administration through its Priority Review Voucher Program.The Medicines for Malaria Venture, Oregon Health & Science University, and the California-based Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines are co-developing a long-acting injectable malaria prophylaxis designed to provide combination protection against both Plasmodium falciparum and blood-stage P. vivax malaria. This next-generation approach aims to offer durable, simplified prevention for people in high-risk areas. The work received important support from USAID and the Department of Veterans Affairs.Injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention Gilead Sciences, a California-based biopharmaceutical company, developed lenacapavir, a groundbreaking new HIV prevention drug requiring twice-yearly injections. In pivotal Phase 3 trials, lenacapavir demonstrated remarkable efficacy across key populations, including historically underserved groups. Developed using evidence from NIH-funded research, it offers discreet, long-acting protection, providing an alternative to daily pills or bimonthly injections and making HIV prevention more accessible and easier to sustain.  DEVICESEllavi Uterine Balloon Tamponade for postpartum hemorrhage As noted earlier, postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal deaths worldwide. The Ellavi Uterine Balloon Tamponade is a low-cost, easy-to-use inflatable device placed inside the uterus that uses pressure to rapidly slow or stop bleeding. Designed specifically for use in low-resource settings, it offers a simple, lifesaving intervention where advanced care is not always available. The device was developed by PATH and Sinapi Biomedical, with support from USAID, the Gates Foundation, and other partners.Anne® One continuous wireless vital sign monitoring platform Life-threatening pregnancy risks can too often go undetected in areas with limited resources and health care workforce. The Anne® One continuous, wireless vital-sign monitoring platform, developed by Illinois-based Sibel Health, Inc. and supported by the Gates Foundation and the Steele Foundation for Hope in New Hampshire, helps identify complications in real time, helping improve care for both mothers and babies. The technology can also enhance monitoring and care for patients of all ages, whether at home or in hospital settings. The work received key US government support from the Small Business Innovation Research program and the NIH RADx for Maternal Health Challenge, BARDA, and the DoD Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium.Monthly dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention The dapivirine vaginal ring, originally developed by the Maryland-based International Partnership for Microbicides and now advanced by the Population Council in New York, is a flexible silicone ring that users self-insert, which reduces the risk of HIV infection. The ring provides one month of protection by slowly releasing the antiretroviral drug dapivirine, offering a discreet, user-controlled prevention option. Its development received critical support from NIH, USAID, the Gates Foundation, and other international donors and partners.Microarray needle-free “button” for vaccine and drug delivery Micron Biomedical, based in Georgia, developed a microarray needle-free “button” that could one day be used for delivering vaccines and pharmaceuticals without the need for traditional injections. This innovative, pain-free solution could be self-administered, reducing barriers to vaccination and treatment. It also limits or eliminates the need for refrigerated storage, simplifies transport and storage, and produces no sharps waste, making it especially valuable for low-resource settings. This technology received US funding support from CDC and BARDA (through the New York-based Global Health Investment Corporation) and was developed in partnership with other US-based groups, including the Gates Foundation, PATH, and Emory University in Georgia.Nifty Cup Millions of babies are born each year who are unable to breastfeed because they were born prematurely or have conditions such as cleft lip or palate. In low-resource settings, commonly used feeding tools can be impractical or difficult to keep hygienic. To address this challenge, PATH partnered with Washington-based collaborators, The University of Washington School of Dentistry and Seattle Children’s Hospital, with support from USAID and Laerdal Global Health, to develop the Nifty Cup. This low-cost silicone feeding cup is durable, gentle, easy to disinfect and simple for caregivers to use—a great example of a frugal, high-impact innovation designed specifically for low-resource environments.  HEATmarker™ vaccine vial monitor Most vaccines require continuous refrigeration to remain effective, which can be a significant challenge in remote and low-resource settings worldwide. Breaks in the cold chain can lead health workers to discard perfectly good vaccines because they suspect heat damage or, worse, unknowingly administer doses that have lost potency. To solve this, PATH and New Jersey-based Temptime (later acquired by Illinois-based Zebra Technologies) developed the vaccine vial monitor, a small sticker placed on vaccine vials that changes color when exposed to too much heat, clearly indicating whether a vaccine is still safe to use, preventing waste and saving lives. This simple, low-cost innovation reduces waste, improves safety, and helps ensure lifesaving vaccines reach the people who need them. The work received crucial support from USAID.BD Uniject™ auto-disable prefillable injection system Injectable drugs and vaccines have saved countless lives, yet administering them safely in low-resource settings presents challenges—health workers require appropriate training and if reused, syringes can spread dangerous infections. With funding from USAID, PATH designed the Uniject™ system, now manufactured by New Jersey-based BD. It’s an inexpensive, pre-measured and -filled syringe that automatically disables after a single use. This technology enables health workers with minimal training to safely deliver correctly dosed injections, prevents syringe reuse, reduces product waste, and ultimately saves lives and costs.BD SoloShot™ auto-disable syringeBD and PATH also partnered on the SoloShot™ auto-disable syringe, with support from USAID, which locks after injection, also helping prevent reuse and bloodborne disease transmission. Interceptor® G2 dual-insecticide bednetAs rising insecticide resistance threatens progress against mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, Zika, and dengue, the Interceptor® G2 dual-insecticide treated bednet represents an important evolution of one of global health’s most essential prevention tools. Developed by BASF, whose agriculture division is based in North Carolina, the Interceptor® G2 uses two insecticides to improve effectiveness against resistant mosquito populations. Its development was supported by the President’s Malaria Initiative, USAID, and CDC, as well as the Gates Foundation, the Innovative Vector Control Consortium, and other international partners.  DIAGNOSTICSLumify AI-assisted handheld ultrasoundLife-threatening risks during pregnancy can go undetected in areas with limited health care resources, leading to deaths, as well as complications for both mothers and their babies. But a portable, artificial-intelligence-powered ultrasound developed by Philips Healthcare, whose North America offices are located in Massachusetts, with support from BARDA and the Gates Foundation, is addressing this challenge head on by helping improve access to screening for pregnant mothers in low-resource settings.Determine™ Antenatal Care Panel; Determine™ HIV Early Detect, Determine™ HBsAg 2, and Determine™ Syphilis TP rapid testsIllinois-based company Abbott developed a rapid panel test capable of simultaneously detecting HIV, hepatitis B virus, and syphilis, three major infections that pose serious risks to maternal and newborn health. The combination platform, which could simplify testing for health systems and patients and improve testing coverage, builds on individual in vitro rapid tests for each virus, which were developed by Abbott and later procured and scaled with support from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).OraQuick™ Ebola Rapid Antigen Test, Investigational Marburg rapid antigen test, and OraQuick™ HIV Self-TestOraSure Technologies, a Pennsylvania-based diagnostics company developed the OraQuick™ Ebola Rapid Antigen Test, a point-of-care tool that enables fast, presumptive diagnosis of Ebola virus disease. By providing results in minutes, the test supports health workers in rapidly isolating patients, initiating potentially lifesaving treatment, and ensuring safe and dignified burials that reduce transmission risk. The test was developed with support from BARDA.With support from BARDA, OraSure is also advancing a similar rapid antigen test for Marburg, a related virus to Ebola that also causes sever and often fatal disease.OraSure also has an oral HIV self-test, built on the same platform as its Ebola and Marburg tests. As the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved HIV self-test, it provides discreet, rapid testing for patients at home in as little as 20 minutes. The US government has supported scale-up of this product globally through PEPFAR.Co-Dx PCR Pro™ for on-site PCR testingThe PCR Pro™ molecular diagnostic platform from Utah-based Co-Diagnostics is designed to enable health care professionals to conduct on-site PCR testing, expanding access to fast, accurate testing outside traditional laboratory settings. With test panels available for flu, COVID-19, and RSV as a multiplex test and, separately, HPV and TB, the platform—developed with support from the NIH RADx program, as well as from PATH and the Gates Foundation for specific applications—has the potential to transform decentralized testing globally.NUTRITION INNOVATIONSReady-to-use therapeutic food for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition Nearly one third of children under five worldwide suffer from malnutrition. But a ready-to-use therapeutic food Plumpy’Nut has been a game changer. Developed by scientists at Washington University in St Louis and the French Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, manufactured by Georgia-based Mana and New Hampshire-based Edesia Nutrition, and scaled up with support from USAID and now the Department of State, this essential mix of vitamins, milk, and peanut butter allows severely malnourished children to recover and stay recovered with just a few servings.  Vitamin A biofortified corn Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable child blindness worldwide. It impairs growth and immunity, increasing the risk of severe illness from common childhood infections such as diarrhea and measles. Corn biofortified with Vitamin A, developed by the District of Columbia-based Harvest Plus program at the International Food Policy Research institute, with support from USAID’s Feed the Future program, has been a transformative innovation. When consumed regularly, it can provide up to half of daily vitamin A needs for women of reproductive age and children. Thanks to our partners the American Society for Microbiology, the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Research!America, the Innovative Vector Control Consortium, IAVI, Monash University, Philips, Co-Diagnostics, HarvestPlus, Micron Biomedical, BASF, the Medicines for Malaria Venture, TB Alliance, Abbott, Mana, BD, Zebra Technologies, Sibel Health, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, PATH, Gilead Sciences, OraSure Technologies, and the Global Health Investment Corporation for supporting this event. 

2025 has been a whirlwind year for global health. In the United States, we've seen the integration of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) into the Department of State, transformation at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and a complicated and prolonged budget process. Globally, we've seen setbacks and progress in HIV and malaria, an evolution at the World Health Organization (WHO), a multilateral win with the Pandemic Agreement adoption, and African partners stepping up to boost autonomy.As the year draws to a close, GHTC is reflecting on the innovations, policy shifts, and pivotal moments that defined 2025 and what they signal for the years to come.US global health leadership in transitionOn day one of his second term, President Donald Trump initiated an effort to realign US foreign assistance programs with the goal of making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. This effort started with an overhaul of USAID, triggering a series of layoffs, stop-work orders that turned into award terminations, and withdrawals from multilateral partnerships, culminating in the agency’s official integration into the State Department on July 1.While this suspension and termination of USAID programs disrupted critical research projects and health services worldwide earlier this year, in September, the State Department unveiled the America First Global Health Strategy, which outlines a plan to reshape the US government’s global health programming, presenting opportunities for global health research and development (R&D).The new strategy centers multiyear bilateral agreements with countries while reducing ties with nongovernmental organizations and narrowing health focal areas. While critical questions remain on implementation—including on whether the agency still retains needed expertise and how it will coordinate with interagency technical partners like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—the strategy’s focus on integrating aid more directly into national health systems is a step forward in improving sustainability and self-reliance. The strategy also raises the exciting possibility that funds could be used to support “innovative, breakthrough technologies.”  Building on USAID’s successes and shortcomings in that space, the department has a clear opportunity to establish a centralized R&D fund—in complement to bilateral agreements—to invest in innovative tools that could leapfrog global health progress. Through collaboration with global health stakeholders and interagency partners, State could reshape US global health programs to continue to save lives; foster funding beyond US government resources, including through partner nations; and promote shared security and prosperity.Overhaul of US scientific and public health infrastructureThe United States has long been a leader in global health R&D and science more broadly, with American researchers, universities, companies, and patients benefiting. In 2025, sweeping changes at HHS reshaped America’s public health and research infrastructure. These far-reaching reforms aimed to advance administration priorities of promoting “gold standard science,” improving efficiency, transparency, and oversight and realigning investments to match administration objectives. At the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and CDC, these changes have included significant staff departures, among them seasoned leaders, and the appointment of many officials who were previously critics of these agencies. It has also included new policies to overhaul oversight of foreign awards and cap indirect costs, changes to longstanding vaccine guidance, and the terminations of numerous awards, including a wind-down of mRNA vaccine development activities. The speed and scale of these changes have raised concerns across the biomedical research and public health communities. While thoughtful reforms could yield benefits, experts warn that current actions risk driving US scientists abroad, disrupting promising clinical trials, weakening the pipeline of new tools, eroding trust in public health guidance, and weakening the structures that have sustained US scientific leadership. US budget swings and shutdowns2025 began with a race to fund the government, with President Trump signing the fiscal year 2025 budget into law in mid-March. While the budget maintained global health R&D-relevant funding lines at prior levels, it funded a government that now looked significantly different after sweeping layoffs and restructuring. Months later, the administration issued its budget request, proposing significant cuts and a restructuring of global health and research programs, reflecting far-reaching changes it had already begun to enact.In June, the administration proposed a request to rescind billions in funding for foreign aid. Though Senators stepped in to remove cuts to global programs for HIV/AIDS and several other health areas, the package ultimately became law, cancelling $500 million in previously appropriated global health funds and raising the possibility that this administration will continue to use rescissions as a tool to withdraw funding.  By late summer, Senate and House appropriators advanced interim funding bills that included higher-than-expected funding for global health and medical research, maintaining funding proposed for elimination by the administration. But then stalled negotiations triggered the longest-ever government shutdown, during which the administration implemented unprecedented furloughs and layoffs that affected critical staff at public health and health research agencies.While the shutdown ended on November 12, pushing the funding fight until January, and most associated layoffs were reversed, uncertainty about future funding for global health R&D persists, especially with a deeply divided Congress and the potential of further recissions.A year of setbacks and breakthroughs in HIV and malaria effortsGlobal HIV/AIDS and malaria efforts faced major setbacks in 2025 as declining US and international donor support has threatened decades of hard-fought progress. Funding cuts could lead to millions of additional HIV and malaria cases in the coming years and has already stalled promising research advancing new HIV and malaria tools.Amid these challenges, the June approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable drug for HIV prevention, marked a major milestone and a reminder of the incredible progress possible through strong support for research. Developed by Gilead and supported by NIH-backed research, the drug offers an alternative to daily pills or bi-monthly injections, making prevention more accessible and easier to maintain. Global partners are stepping up to expand access, and Phase 3 trials of a once-yearly version are planned.In November, Medicines for Malaria Venture and Novartis shared Phase 3 trial results for GanLum, a new drug found to be highly effective at treating malaria, including drug-resistant cases, and capable of blocking disease transmission. Pending approval, it could help counter rising resistance to current treatments.Other notable R&D advances in 2025 also targeted the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, including a Phase 3 trial for a novel antibiotic targeting a dangerous antibiotic-resistant pathogen, support for what could be the first-ever vaccine for Escherichia coli, and efforts to harness artificial intelligence to transform antibiotic discovery. These breakthroughs underscore the importance of sustained R&D investment and the efforts to ensure new tools reach those who need them.WHO restructures amid budget shortfallFacing a severe budget crisis and pressure from member states to reprioritize programs, WHO launched a sweeping overhaul in 2025, cutting staff, slashing its budget, and reorganizing core functions. At its February Executive Board meeting, member states approved a $1.1 billion budget reduction, leaving a remaining $1.7 billion shortfall for 2026 and 2027, despite a recent increase to membership dues and appeals for voluntary contributions.In late April, WHO announced a plan to halve its senior leadership team and consolidate departments. Infectious disease and climate and health programs remain relatively well-resourced, and merging several disease-specific initiatives into a new division could strengthen certain programs. However, neglected tropical diseases and health emergency preparedness and response programs face sharp cuts, while reductions in regional and in-house expert posts may weaken global lab and surveillance networks and delay critical guidance, raising concerns about WHO’s outbreak response capacity.One core R&D function spared from the worst cuts was WHO’s prequalification (PQ) program, which evaluates medical products to support regulatory approval and rollout in countries with less advanced regulatory authorities. The program has marked some important achievements this year, launching a new portal to improve transparency for developers, introducing a new streamlined review and guidance process for TB diagnostics, and prequalifying lenacapavir for HIV prevention through a compressed process completed in just 36 days. As WHO and the broader United Nations system grapple with financial strain and diminished donor support, questions remain about the capacity to deliver on their mandate. A major outbreak could test the limits of this leaner system.Pandemic Agreement provides hope in challenging year for multilateralismAt the World Health Assembly in May, delegates adopted the Pandemic Agreement, a milestone win for global health after three years of complex negotiations. However, consensus on a pathogen and access-benefit sharing system was not reached, requiring member states to return to the negotiating table to finalize an annex for adoption at next year’s assembly. Persistent disputes over the voluntary or legally binding nature of participation signal tough negotiations ahead.While the Pandemic Agreement is a huge win, pushback from key countries and declining pandemic preparedness investments raise concerns about global readiness. Annex negotiations and the 2026 United Nations High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response will further test international unity on this crucial topic.Meanwhile, 2026 brought notable R&D advances to strengthen our defenses against pandemic threats. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations launched the first-ever adjuvant library of 25 immune-boosting substances to improve vaccine effectiveness and awarded $17.3 million for Phase 2 trials of a promising Nipah vaccine, among the first candidates targeting the priority virus to reach this critical stage. IAVI’s vaccine candidate for Lassa virus, another virus with pandemic potential, was also found to be safe and effective in a first-in-human Phase 1 trial, marking further R&D progress against concerning disease threats.Partners step up to fill gaps and boost autonomyAmid steep foreign aid funding losses, African nations are accelerating efforts to boost manufacturing and laboratory capacity on the continent and reduce reliance on external partners. At October’s Conference on Public Health in Africa in Durban, South Africa, thousands of participants endorsed The Durban Promise, a roadmap for Africa’s health sovereignty, urging action on manufacturing, financing, workforce and capacity development, and regulatory strengthening, a signal of growing continental unity.This momentum was echoed by the Accra Reset, led by Ghanaian President John Mahama, to forge further progress toward greater sovereignty and more equitable global cooperation. At the continental level, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention launched a new biomanufacturing fellowship to help meet the goal of producing 60 percent of Africa’s vaccine dose needs locally by 2040.South Africa held the G20 presidency this year, culminating in the first G20 summit held on African soil and a declaration focused on priorities for Africa and the Global South. The summit was punctuated by the absence of the United States, underscoring the imperative for greater African autonomy as international aid declines and health threats rise. With the United States assuming the G20 presidency next year, its priorities will be closely watched. Looking ahead to 2026If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s that global health is unpredictable and constantly evolving, so we won’t speculate on exactly what 2026 may bring. But a truth remains clear: global health R&D is a strong investment that pays off—saving lives, strengthening economies, and fueling scientific progress. As the United States redefines its approach and role in the broader global health ecosystem, it remains to be seen how it, and others, will step up to ensure that promising technologies in the pipeline are advanced to improve lives around the world.For other fascinating global health news delivered to your inbox weekly and to stay abreast of developments in 2026 and beyond, sign up now to receive GHTC’s R&D News Roundup newsletter.

Over the past century, partnerships between the US government and scientists have led to major breakthroughs in global health research and development (R&D). Consistent US government funding, combined with the nation’s strong research universities and entrepreneurial spirit, has positioned America as a world leader. This investment has paid off in both health and economic gains. However, that foundation has recently weakened, as US government actions have sharply reduced research spending and limited global health research collaborations. These changes risk driving US researchers abroad and eroding the very strengths that made the United States such a scientific powerhouse. The result could be fewer breakthroughs, fewer economic benefits, and a costly brain drain for our nation. How we got here America’s global health research leadership is built on the backbone of decades of government investment by agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). This support built a top-tier talent pool at home and drew innovators from abroad—giving the United States a strong competitive advantage. That advantage is now in jeopardy. Recent policy and budget decisions have led to the termination of thousands of NIH grants, the wind-down of BARDA’s mRNA vaccine work, the closure of USAID and near-total cancellation of its health R&D awards, and the loss of more than 20,000 jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services. More cuts and restructuring are proposed.New federal rules are also disrupting universities—the backbone of US biomedical research. To stay eligible for federal funding, institutions must meet shifting requirements, adding costs and uncertainty. At the same time, new NIH policies have restricted international partnerships and broadly limited "dangerous gain-of-function research,” including studies that leading experts consider to be safe. Research on infectious diseases like tuberculosis has been disrupted as a result.  Funding for training young scientists is also falling. NIH’s main program for supporting early-career researchers saw its grant spending drop from $2.2 billion in 2024 to $1.7 billion in 2025. Without reliable support, many students and junior researchers may take their talents abroad—or abandon their field altogether. The international response In the wake of these changes, other countries are moving quickly to recruit US researchers.  In May, the European Union pledged $567 million over three years to “make Europe a magnet for researchers.” Similarly, the Netherlands launched a new fund to attract top international scientists, and Norway unveiled a £7.2 million program to recruit researchers. The head of Norway’s Research Council pointed to the pressure US researchers are facing on academic freedom as part of its rationale.  Individual universities are also joining in. Aix-Marseille University in France launched its Safe Place for Science program to attract US scientists who may “feel threatened or hindered in their research.” The Free University Brussels created a dedicated point of contact for US researchers interesting in continuing their work in Belgium. The message from abroad is clear: America’s loss can be their gain. So what?As the US retreats, the center of gravity for biomedical research may shift overseas. Data from Nature’s jobs board shows that in the first few months of the current administration, US job-seekers applying abroad rose sharply: 41 percent more to Canada, 32 percent to Europe, 20 percent to China, and 39 percent to other Asian countries compared to the same period in 2024.  Early-career researchers are being hit hardest. At the most innovative and impactful stage of their careers, opportunities are disappearing. Many have been left jobless or unsure if they have a future in their field. The US economy is also at stake. In 2024, NIH-funded research supported more than 400,000 jobs across all 50 states and generated $94.60 billion in economic activity—a return of $2.56 for every dollar spent. Reductions in US spending could shift those economic benefits to other countries. And since no other nation has the resources to fully replace the US’s historic role, we could see fewer medical breakthroughs for the world overall. Without strong and predictable federal research support, the United States risks losing its place as a top engine of global biomedical progress. Young researchers see more uncertainty than opportunity, and other nations are investing heavily to take the lead, accelerating a US brain drain. If US policymakers do not act to restore the foundational factors that rooted American scientific leadership, the future of science may unfold elsewhere—and the next generation of discoveries may not be American-led.