The Trump administration's cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have abruptly ended a $258 million HIV vaccine program, halting promising clinical trials slated to begin next year. This is part of a broader pattern of funding cuts affecting HIV vaccine research, both domestically and internationally, including a cancelled $45 million USAID-funded African trial. Researchers fear this will severely hinder progress towards an HIV vaccine, potentially setting back the field for years due to lost time, researchers, and momentum, despite recent breakthroughs.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.