Hundreds of scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have come together to express their concerns over the Trump administration's impact on the agency and have urged the NIH director to safeguard biomedical research.

Organizing under the name of the Bethesda Declaration, over 340 NIH employees based in Bethesda, Maryland, have sent a letter to NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, calling for the protection of the agency. They believe that political interests are taking precedence over academic freedom under the current administration.

Before his role at the NIH, Bhattacharya was involved in the controversial Great Barrington Declaration, which raised questions about pandemic lockdowns and public health measures.

In the Bethesda Declaration, the scientists accuse the Trump administration of politicizing research, stigmatizing studies on health disparities, reducing funding for research on COVID-19, long COVID, climate change's health impacts, and medical issues concerning gender and intersex individuals, among other critical areas.

The declaration emphasizes the importance of thoughtful and vetted changes due to the life-and-death nature of their work. It criticizes the leadership for prioritizing political gains over human safety and the responsible use of public resources.

Most NIH employees are hesitant to openly criticize the administration due to fear of repercussions. The declaration highlights a culture of fear and suppression within the organization and was signed by 92 employees who disclosed their identities.

Responding to the Bethesda Declaration, Bhattacharya acknowledged the misconceptions but encouraged respectful dissent in science. He expressed the desire for the NIH to succeed despite the disagreements.

Scientists who signed the letter described feelings of despair and distress at the NIH, which is a major contributor to biomedical research globally. They expressed concerns over the detrimental impact on research participants and public health if issues are not addressed.

External support for the Bethesda Declaration has been significant, with over 40 scientists, including Nobel laureates, endorsing the initiative. The letter calls for the NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collaborate with staff to realign the agency with its mission.

Former NIH researcher Jeremy Berg commended the Bethesda Declaration signatories for their courage and emphasized the importance of their actions in protecting biomedical research and public health.