A federal judge in the District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled from the bench on June 16 in two cases that the administration’s decisions to terminate hundreds of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants because of the agency's “changes in priority” were not supported by a rational reason and were arbitrary and capricious.
As a result, Judge William Young ruled that each grant termination at issue is illegal and must be vacated. The AAMC filed an amicus brief (PDF) in both cases, one led by the American Public Health Association and the other by 16 state attorneys general. The AAMC data analysis on grant terminations was referenced by the court throughout the proceedings.
An order directing the government to reinstate the grants is expected shortly, after which the government is likely to appeal the court’s action.