Federal Funding Freeze Pauses Breast Cancer Research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) are the largest funder of cancer research in the world. A January 2025 executive order froze NIH funding and cut indirect cost payments. Another executive order halted all public communications by a number of federal agencies. Challenges to the orders are winding through the courts.  Dr. Donald McDonnell, who studies and develops drugs to treat breast and prostate cancer, explains how these actions are affecting breast cancer research and what it might mean for people diagnosed with the disease. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. McDonnell discuss: why there may be no federal money allocated to cancer research this year why all cancer research will likely stop if no federal money is allocated how the funding freeze is affecting future scientists how the freeze may affect someone who was diagnosed with breast cancer today