PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Congressman Brendan Boyle and doctors from CHOP and Penn said the Trump Administration’s cuts to a medical research grant program will cost jobs, halt critical research and impact future health outcomes for all Americans.
It’s called AHRQ - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - and the White House has cut staff by 80% and since last month has terminated $229 million worth of grants.
Congressman Brendan Boyle said the decision will impact generations to come.
“These grants were training the next generation of researchers and doctors on the cutting edge of patient care,” he said.
Boyle was joined by several medical research leaders speaking out against the cuts outside CHOP’s Roberts Center for Pediatric Research.
Dr. Chris Forrest, is Professor of Pediatrics at CHOP, and director of a program for training new physicians, nurses and psychologists aimed at improving healthcare. Between the cuts from AHRQ and matching funds, that program has lost $6 million in funding.
“That program has trained 44 physicians, psychologists, and nurses who are now improving healthcare and improving the health and well-being of children,” he said.
Dr. Eric Roberts of Penn is a professor and health economist whose research was impacted.
“While I feel a frustration about my inability to continue my line of research here, I think the greater frustration I feel is the loss of the capacity to train others and to maintain a pipeline of bright, excited researchers,” he said.
