After years of devastating losses, drug overdose death rates have declined sharply since mid-2023, thanks to health interventions and overdose prevention services that have been informed by decades of federally-funded research. This progress is hopeful but fragile. The federal government should be focused on strengthening public health research and supporting the health solutions that are saving lives.
However, the Trump administration’s proposed FY2027 federal budget includes massive funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that would severely weaken our public health infrastructure and put lives at risk.
Federally-funded research through the NIH has been integral to analyzing who we are losing to the overdose crisis, measuring the impact of policy interventions, identifying where interventions are needed, and spearheading effective treatment options to save lives.
The NIH has had longstanding bipartisan support. Maintaining NIH funding is more critical than ever, and Congress must stand firm to defend it.
