Portland, OR – The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) strongly opposes the Trump administration’s decision to cancel dozens of federal research grants focused on HIV and LGBTQ health. These politically motivated cuts roll back critical public health work, undermine science, and directly harm communities that are already vulnerable, including transgender people and LGBTQ youth. 

According to CNN and the Associated Press, the administration has eliminated at least 68 National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants across 46 institutions, halting nearly $40 million in research. These studies included HIV prevention strategies for Black and Latino gay and bisexual men, interventions tailored for LGBTQ youth, and sexual health studies focused on adolescents. Projects designed specifically to improve access to care for transgender people have also been affected. 

This is not just a Washington, D.C. policy debate. It is an attack on public health and the people ONA members care for every day. For example, in Oregon and across the country, transgender people face significantly higher rates of HIV infection, yet often have the least access to affirming, evidence-based care. Cutting off research into their needs reinforces those barriers and increases harm. 

Oregon’s health systems, public universities, and community health partners rely on federal grants to lead HIV prevention and equity-focused work. Researchers at institutions like OHSU, Portland State University and Oregon State University have already been affected by federal funding uncertainty and stop-work orders. The cancellation of HIV-focused research projects threatens not only long-term medical progress but also the capacity of Oregon’s providers and researchers to care for underserved populations. 

These cuts are part of a broader pattern. In addition to these grant terminations, the Trump administration has proposed reductions to domestic HIV prevention efforts and to PEPFAR, the global AIDS relief program. Combined, these actions risk reversing decades of progress, increasing preventable infections, and deepening disparities. 

ONA urges Congress and the administration to restore funding immediately and protect public health research from political interference. We also support the efforts by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and 21 other state attorneys general who are challenging these harmful funding cuts in court. Their legal action has already secured a temporary pause, but more must be done to permanently protect medical and public health innovation. 

ONA stands for compassionate, inclusive, evidence-based care. That includes listening to science, investing in communities most affected by HIV, and rejecting policies rooted in stigma and discrimination.