Steep cuts in president’s FY 2026 budget will make America less healthy and safe

The harmful cuts to biomedical research and public health outlined in the president’s budget request will lead to a less healthy and safe America. Because the proposed cuts are so steep, they will damage infrastructure and limit the effectiveness of vital ID activities for which funding is maintained, such as emerging ID surveillance. 

IDSA urges Congress to reject these damaging proposed cuts and instead protect the well-being of the American people. We will continue to advocate for robust investments for the full breadth of domestic and global ID programs. Read HIVMA’s statement on the proposed cuts to HIV funding.

The summary below reflects currently available information, as the Administration has not yet released detailed budget proposals for all health agencies. 

ID programs within the Department of Health and Human Services

National Institutes of Health 

• Funds the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at $4.175 billion, a $2.4 billion cut below the FY 24 level of $6.562 billion
• Maintains NIAID as one institute, though no further details are currently available
• Eliminates the Fogarty International Center
• Ends diversity, equity and inclusion activities, claiming to only focus NIH on “impactful” science to restore public trust in science
• Caps indirect cost rates at 15%, claiming that only necessary project costs, not extraneous salaries or flashy new buildings at wealthy universities, will be funded
• Claims it would expand the number of fully funded research project grants in 2026 and support the extramural community and work of research personnel at universities, medical schools and research institutions across the country; however, there is no further detail to explain how NIH will be able to achieve these efforts with the devastating cuts in funding proposed for the agency and the grant cancelations and reductions in force that have already occurred this year

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• $197 million for the Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Program, level with FY 24 funding
• $66 million for the Advanced Molecular Detection program, an increase of $26 million over FY 24
• $24 million for the National Healthcare Safety Net program, level with FY 24
• $293 million for Global Disease Detection and Emergency Response to continue activities within funding for Cross-Cutting Activities and Program Support
• Realigns the CDC’s Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Domestic TB, and Infectious Diseases and the Opioid Epidemic programs into a newly proposed line, Consolidated Hepatitis, STD and Tuberculosis Prevention Grant, under the new Administration for a Healthy America
• Eliminates the Global HIV/AIDS, Global Tuberculosis programs
• Eliminates Global Immunization programs
• Eliminates the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s Hospital Preparedness Program cooperative agreements
• Eliminates the HHS Coordination Operations and Response Element and the Medical Reserve Corps
• Establishes a new Center for Preparedness and Response, funded at $588 million, which joins together core public health preparedness and response functions and includes former ASPR programs including the National Disaster Medical System, Preparedness and Response Innovation, and Health Care Readiness and Recovery
• $300 million to support a new consolidated grant program that claims to allow states to have more flexibility when addressing sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis within the United States; the budget claims this streamlined program will reduce administrative inefficiency and allow for more coordinated approaches; the budget will be used to enhance surveillance and improve disease outbreak detection, but no additional detail was provided in the HHS Budget-in-Brief

Administration for a Healthy America

• $2.5 billion for Ryan White HIV/AIDS programs previously housed in the Health Resources and Services Administration, including $165 million for the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative
• Supports the Health Center Program’s continued efforts to combat the HIV epidemic by providing prevention and treatment services for high-risk individuals, and also support efforts to reduce new HIV infections through outreach, routine and risk-based HIV testing, and expanding access to pre-exposure prophylaxis for patients
• $220 million for discrete EHE activities formerly carried out by CDC and $157 million to continue EHE activities in health centers; continues funding to support coordination of EHE and other HIV/AIDS related activities, formerly carried out by the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
• The new AHA is supposed to house health care workforce programs that were formerly housed at HRSA, but information on the proposed budget for those programs is not yet available 

State Department global health programs (compared to previous U.S. Agency for International Development and State Department combined figure): Funded at $3.797 billion; representing a $6.23 billion (62%) cut

• President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: funded at $2.91 billion, representing a $1.485 billion (34%) cut
• Global Fund: Currently unclear as stated in the Congressional Budget Justification: “Should the Administration decide to provide contributions … it would ensure the United States is only contributing its fair share by leveraging $1 from the United States for every $4 from other donors, instead of the current $1:$2 matching pledge, up to a total amount of $2.4 billion over three years.”
• Maternal and Child Health: Funded at $85 million (just for polio), representing a $830 million (91%) cut (formerly at USAID)
• Gavi: Eliminated
• Tuberculosis: Funded at $178 million, representing a $216 million (55%) cut (formerly at USAID)
• Malaria: Funded at $424 million, representing a $371 million (47%) cut (formerly at USAID)
• Global Health Security: Funded at $200 million, representing a $500 million (71%) cut (formerly at USAID)
• USAID’s share of Global HIV/AIDS: Eliminated except for PEPFAR (formerly at USAID)
• Nutrition: Eliminated (formerly at USAID)
• Vulnerable Children: Eliminated (formerly at USAID)
• Family Planning: Eliminated (formerly at USAID)
• Neglected Tropical Diseases: Eliminated (formerly at USAID)
   

About IDSA and HIVMA
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a global community of 13,000 clinicians, scientists and public health experts working together to solve humanity’s smallest and greatest challenges, from tiny microbes to global outbreaks. Rooted in science, committed to health equity and driven by curiosity, our compassionate and knowledgeable members safeguard the health of individuals, our communities and the world by advancing the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Within IDSA, the HIV Medicine Association is a community of health care professionals who advance a comprehensive and humane response to the HIV pandemic, informed by science and social justice. Visit idsociety.org and hivma.org to learn more.