1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I’m writing to express my deep concern about recent reports that funding for the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) is being cut, along with what appears to be a broader pattern of contract terminations across the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These cuts are short-sighted and harmful, not just to women, but to all Americans, now and in the future. The WHI is a landmark study that has provided life-saving insights into the health of postmenopausal women for more than 30 years. The research from this initiative has shaped how we understand everything from heart disease to osteoporosis, and it continues to inform clinical guidelines and preventative care. Eliminating support for its regional centers will effectively silence a powerful source of scientific data and end vital research that still has more to offer. NIH funding is not just about labs and clinical trials. It is about people. It is about the older women who have generously participated in the WHI for decades. It is about the next generation of researchers and public health experts whose careers are built on studies like this. And it is about every American who stands to benefit from advances in disease prevention, treatment, and healthy aging. Cutting NIH contracts without careful review or consideration of long-term impacts is dangerous. It weakens our ability to prepare for future public health challenges and undermines the credibility of our national research infrastructure. Science like this takes years to build and only moments to dismantle. Once it is gone, we cannot simply flip a switch and bring it back. I urge you to speak out against these cuts and to advocate for full, stable, and long-term NIH funding. Please work with your colleagues to protect research that protects us all.