TRENTON, N.J. — A federal judge has issued a nationwide preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from cutting billions in medical and public health research funding, following a lawsuit led by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and a coalition of 21 other state attorneys general.
The ruling in Massachusetts v. NIH blocks the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from implementing funding reductions that support research institutions across the country. The injunction replaces a temporary restraining order issued last month and will remain in effect as the case proceeds.
“The Trump Administration tried to defund cancer research, cures for many life-threatening diseases, and the other critical work that our nation-leading research institutions do here in New Jersey – but we stopped them,” Platkin said. “Our victory in court will ensure that the important research and development activities at universities across our state will continue with NIH funding, and lives here in New Jersey and across the country will be saved.”
The NIH is the primary federal funding source for biomedical research in the U.S., supporting advancements in cancer treatment, genetic research, and other medical breakthroughs. The lawsuit was joined by attorneys general from 21 other states, including California, New York, and Illinois.
The court’s decision temporarily halts funding cuts that could have disrupted critical medical research nationwide.